Tiger River 53 pinhead! Didn’t I tell you to use tact when “Well, it’s me. I should never have you went to Dry Lake? Tact! You’re as chosen McAndrews to go to Dry Lake. Too tactful as a locomotive collision! You go thick in the head. I sort of knew it when back to the city! You belong in the county I sent him. It’s my fault. I’m as big a fool jail. I’ll make you a guard. You can make as the rest. It’s a case of nobody home, all speeches to the prisoners and they can’t around!” come back. Tact! Hump!” Later, in the moonlight, Sheriff Bill led ®j25 DOWN in Southern Texas the his cavalcade on the long trail toward Dry Itimi Reverend Gypsy Jones had just Lake, with Miles on one side of him and his concluded a great revival and re¬ favorite deputy on the other. The sheriff tired to his office-tent when a messenger was sleepy. The calm light of the moon thrust a telegram into his hand. The brought some peace and surcease to his Reverend Gypsy Jones tore it open and read: soul. At length he spoke to the deputy, Please do not convert any more aged Indians. after a long silence. His voice was gentle , (Signed) William D. Fraser, now— Sheriff of Empire County. “Do you know who’s the biggest chump of the lot?” “Now, I wonder what on earth he means “No. There’s too many to pick from.” by that?” asked the great revivalist.

Author of “Black Hawk,” “Tupahn—the Thunderstorm,” etc.

CHAPTER I rip of breaking underbrush, a dull thump, and he lay lifeless on the earth. WHERE WATERS MEET At the base of another tree a man quietly levered a fresh cartridge into his gun-barrel. T THE edge of the jungle a rifle For a few seconds he stood motionless, roared. weapon up, eyes sweeping the surrounding High up among the branches tree-butts and bush-clumps. Then he let of a tall buttress-rooted tree— the rifle sink and, velvet-footed, stepped more than a hundred feet above the soggy forward. ground—a big, red, bearded monkey lurched “So, Senor Cotomono,” he said softly, out into space. Headlong he fell. A swift “you will make your hideous howling, eh, "Tiger River," copyright, 1922, by Arthur O. Friel. 54 Adventure to tell all the world that I am here? You of that river, something came crawling into will yell to the tigres of this Tiger Water to the yellow vacancy at the end of the jungle come and tear Jose Martinez, yes? Too shores. Foot by foot, yard by yard, it nosed late you learn that it does not pay to make its clumsy way out of the west until its too much noise with the mouth.” whole length floated there, only a little way A sardonic smile played’ under his fierce from the land. There, for a moment, it black mustache. Even as the words slipped hung motionless. from his tongue his gaze lifted from the A grotesque, misshapen monster of the motionless animal and once more plumbed jungle, it seemed; a low-bodied thing some the vistas about him. Tall, sinewy, hawk- thirty feet long, with half a dozen short, nosed, bold-eyed, red-kerchiefed, belted rigid legs on each side; a humpy creature with a long machete, alert and wary as the with a small square bump in the middle, a great hunting-cat he had just mentioned— big round one at its tail, and more than a he looked a buccaneer chieftan marooned dozen smaller protuberances along its back. in a tropic wilderness, poised to fight man, Presently its little legs moved backward, beast, or demon. lifted, came forward—flashing glints of sun¬ A minute passed. No sound came to his light from its wet feet—and slid backward ears except the ceaseless rustle of unseen again. Its blunt nose turned up the clear small life, creeping about in the shadows water. It grew larger, crawling toward the during the hot hours of midday. With a spot whence the smoke streamed. And the lightning shift of manner he relaxed. rough little breeze, as if it had done its duty “Hah!” he growled. “Jose, you are over¬ in summoning the river-beast, passed and careful. You have hardly left the Amazon was gone, leaving the smoke to rise straight —you have only just landed on the Tigre above the squatting man like a telltale Yacu—and yet you stand as if you were far finger. upstream and had shot a head-hunter in¬ stead of a poor cotomono. You disgust me, THE man did not see the thing ap¬ Jose mio. Come, little howler of the heights, proach. Around him grew waist- and toast your toes at my fire.” _ high grass, which now, in his In one motion he swooped up the dead doubled-up position, rose just above his monkey and whirled on his heel. A few head and shut off from his view all but the strides to the rear, and he emerged at fire and his meat. The river-creature ad¬ water—clear water, about seventy yards vanced quietly, as if a bit wary. Fifty feet broad, flowing southeast, at whose margin off shore it paused. From it burst a roaring floated a small canoe. Some rods down¬ stream the limpid stream ended, merging “Hey, there!” into a turbid yellow flood rolling eastward— The man in the grass started, spun about, the mighty Amazon, here known as the lengthened himself toward his rifle, and in Maraiion. one second was behind the tree with gun Two swift glances he shot to right and cocked. His narrowed eyes stabbed through left—one upstream, one out at the tawny the sun-glare at the clumsy thing which had monarch of rivers. Only empty water, slipped up so smoothly within pistol-shot glaring under the sun, met his gaze. Lean¬ of him. In one tight squint he saw what ing his rifle against a handy tree-butt, he it was. drew his machete and sliced some tindery A Peruvian garretea, or river-canoe, with bamboo into kindling. A few deft slashes a pile of supplies corded in the middle, a with the same blade dressed the cotomono* curve-roofed cabin at the stern, twelve for roasting. Then, adding more fuel, he copper-skinned paddlers and a steersman, squatted and concentrated his attention on and four khaki-shirted white men; that was the cooking of his meal. the monster. The second glance of the lurk¬ A stiff breeze came rocketing down the ing Jose told him that all the white men clear-water stream, snatching the smoke of were deeply tanned and well bearded; that his fire and flinging it playfully down to the two of the beards were black, one yellow, great river. And almost at once, as if the and one unmistakably red. Then the voice tang of smoke and the savory odor of broil¬ spoke again. ing meat had evoked life from the depths “Come on out, feller. We ain’t huntin’ •The same monkey known as emriba in Brazil. nobody. I see ye got a bandanna on yer Tiger River 55 bean, so ye’d oughter be a white man. You “Ye ol’ son-of-a-gun!” he chuckled. “Ye savvy United States?” ol’ slashin’, tearin’, hip-shootin’ death’s- The eyes of Jose widened. head! Jest as homely and full o’ cussedness “For Dios!” he muttered. “Is it—it is as ever, ain’t ye! Mind the time we blowed not—yet the voice is the same! And a red them Red Bone cannibals all to glory? beard-” Gosh, that was a reg’lar scrap, I’ll tell the He stepped forth, rifle still ready but not world!” aimed. “I remember it well,” laughed Jose. “ Si, I savvy, senor,” he answered. “ Who “But you need not break my hand, amigo. comes?” The Senor Knowlton seems to wish to “Friends,” clipped another voice. “Any use it.” objection to our tying up here? Want to The blond man too had landed, and now sell that meat?” he shouldered the exuberant Tim aside and “It is my dinner, senor, and not for sale,” proceeded to make good his promise to Jose answered coolly, still squinting at the pump the Spaniard’s arm, giving him a run¬ boat. “Tying up here is as you wish. I do ning fire of banter the while. After him, not own this river.” cool and unhurried, came a tall, black- “AH right. We’ll shoot our own meat. bearded, wide-shouldered man whose set Paddle!” face and bleak gray eyes now]]were softened At the command the paddlers swayed in by a welcoming smile. Last of all debarked unison. The garretea floated nearer. Then a stocky man of medium height, with hat out broke the first voice. pulled well down over his brow. “ Say, cap, lookit the guy! Ain’t he a dead In contrast to the red Tim and the blond ringer for ol’ Hozy, the lad that was with Knowlton, the blackbeard spoke no word us last year on that there, now, Javaree as his hand grasped that of Jose; but his River down below? By gosh, I wonder— brief, hearty grip and direct gaze spoke Say, feller, mebbe this is a sassy question, what his tongue did not. And to him Jose but what’s yer name?” gave a look and a tone of deeper respect The speaker was the red-bearded, red¬ than that accorded his predecessors. headed man; a broad-chested, muscular fel¬ “Capitan!” he bowed. Then, as their low whose blue eyes peered keenly from hands parted, he turned suddenly away. under a cupped hand and whose wide face When he swung back his bold eyes were a glowed with eagerness. Into the hawk face trifle misty and his smile strained. of Jose flashed the light of certainty. His “Pardon the weakness, senores,” he said. teeth gleamed and his rifle sank. In three “It is sudden, this meeting. And there are strides he was at the water’s edge. few men who care to take the hand of Jose “It is the Senor Tim!” he cried. “I Martinez, outlaw—though there are many thought—but I was not sure. And El Cap- who would take his head.” itan McKay—Senor Knowlton—si, yo soy, “Grrrumph! Let ’em come and git it— amigos! It is I, Jose Martinez, at your they’ll have a fat time bumpin’ ye off while service!” this gang’s here, Hozy!” erupted Tim. “We “Well, by thunder!” laughed the blond don’t give a tinker’s damn if ye’re a dozen man. “Welcome to our company,' Jos6, old outlaws. Ye’re a square guy and ye’ve got top! I’ll pump your arm off as soon as I no yeller streak, and we dang well know it. can get out of this blooming boat. Give you Besides which, there ain’t no law in this a drink too—the occasion calls for a libation. neck o’ the woods, unless they’ve lugged Tim, break out a bottle of hooch.” some in since the last time we was here, “Right ye are, looey. Hozy, ol’ sock, ye which I sure hope they ain’t. They’s too sure are a sight for sore eyes—bokoo jolly, much law in the world now, most of ifmade tray beans, like them frogs use to say in by crooks. But say, ain’t ye got a word for France. Oo-la-la! Look out there, ye gobs! Dave Rand here? ' Ye’d oughter remember Timmy Ryan is landin’, toot sweet.” And land he did—crowding between the He motioned toward the last man ashore, Indian paddlers and launching himself over who stood impassively waiting. the bow as it touched shore. As his boots “ Rand?” echoed Jose. “ Senor Rand I do plunked into the mud his right hand seized not— Ho! Por Dios! Is this the man who was that of Jose and wrung it in a mighty grip. the Raposa—the Wild Dog of the Javaiy?” 56 Adventure

“The same,” answered Rand himself. Tigre Yacu, on whose banks lurked un¬ As he spoke he lifted his broad hat, revealing known things; the voice of Death. green-gray eyes and dark hair in which an odd white mark stood out above one ear. CHAPTER II “The man who was a crazy captive of the Red Bone Indians,” he went on, “and whom THE RIVER OF MISSING MEN you last saw as a naked, painted wreck being dragged home to the States by McKay and 'C'OR A moment the jungle and the river Knowlton and Tim here. No wonder you " were still. No man moved; and the didn’t recognize me this time. Shake?” rustle of small things in bush and branches “Indeed yes, senor, with pride.” And was hushed as if all life held its breath. the final handshake was completed. “But Then, calmly, the tall Captain McKay how come you here in South America spoke. again—and, of all places, on the banks of “ Sounds hungry. A hungry jaguar is bad this dangerous water? You had best move medicine. Get aboard, men, and we’ll on quickly, comrades, all of you.” shove out a little. Come along, Jose I Tim interrupted. want to talk to you.” “Aw, who’s scairt of a li’l brook like this? Jose glowered into the tangle as if half And say, feller, yer meat’s bumin’. Git minded to go seeking the tigre. But when out o’ me way and I’ll save it. We got Knowlton seconded the invitation he shrug¬ to eat.” ged and nodded. Jose wheeled, pounced, retrieved the “Climb in,” said the blond man. “Noth¬ blackened meat, and gazed at it ruefully. ing to stay here for. The Indians won’t “A third of my dinner gone,” he grumbled. come ashore, your meat is cooked, and we “But this cotomono was a big one, and we can talk better where that brute can’t drop can each get a few mouthfuls of fresh meat on somebody’s back. Besides,” with a from him. Your Indians can find meat of laugh, “we have to dig_up that bottle T their own if they will hunt back from the spoke of.” water.” “Your last reason is much the best one, But the Indians seemed to want no meat. senor,” Jose grinned. “Now that I think They did not even show any intention of of it, my throat is most dry.” landing. Every man of them had remained Back into the garretea the white men in the boat, and, though they sniffed wist¬ clambered, and at once the paddlers shoved fully at the odor of the cooking, their eyes off. But for McKay’s sharp commands, were continually watching the thick tropical they would have driven the boat back to the tangle near at hand. Uneasy mutterings Amazon. As it was, they reluctantly went among them, and repeatedly they stopped work after a few strokes, and a grunted two words— moment later a sixty-pound weight plunged “Tigre Yacu.” over the bow. Fifteen yards out, the boat The northerners stared at them. Jose, swung at anchor. the jungle-rover, alone seemed to under¬ Four of the whites went aft to the shelter stand. He gave the paddlers a brief glance, of the shady hoop-roofed cabin, which rose nodded, and let his own gaze go roving importantly from a ten-foot palm-bark deck. upstream. Tim, the fifth, halted amidships and sought “What ails them guys?” wondered Tim. something among the supplies, straightening “Is this place ha’nted or somethin’?” up presently with a quart bottle on which “This, Senor Tim, is the Tiger Water,” the Indians fixed a longing gaze. Not until Jose explained, “and it is bad country. the red-bearded man entered the cabin did Above here-” the aborigines take their eyes from his He stopped abruptly. Across his words liquid treasure. Then they silently moved smote a dread sound. forward and made a fire in a big clay pot From the jungle behind them broke a in the bow—the “galley” of their crude coughing roar; a hoarse, harsh, malignant ship. note of menace which struck both red and “Wal, Hozy, old-timer, here’s how!” pro¬ white men like a blow. It was the voice of claimed Tim, flourishing the bottle. the South American tiger, savage king of “Reg’lar stuff, this is—some o’ that there, the jungle, eater of men; the voice of the now, Annie Sadder, double-distilled and a Tiger River 57 hundred proof. Take a husky gargle of it Schwandorf—who tried to make you steal before ye eat—ye git more of a jolt on an Indian women for his slave trade, and were empty stummick. Shoot!” shot in the head by that man. The bullet Jose shot. The anisado gurgled down his crazed you, and for years you wandered throat like water. When he handed back among the cannibals, who let you live only the bottle his eyes glistened and a fourth because they feared you—the Raposa—the of the liquor had disappeared from mortal Wild Dog of the jungle! I heard of you long before I ever saw you.” “Gosh!” muttered Tim. “Half a pint “And if it hadn’t been for Mac and Merry to one swaller! Ye got me beat. But I’ll Knowlton and Tim, who came hunting me do me best.” and knocked sense back into my head with Measuring off another half-pint with a a gun-butt, I’d be there yet,” Rand ac¬ thumb-nail, he opened his capacious mouth, quiesced grimly. nipped his nose between his free thumb and Jose nodded again. forefinger, and let the bottle gurgle. Pres¬ “Es verdad. But that time is past, and ently he gasped, shot the bottle to McKay, you are a strong man once more. Yet I seized a long-handled gourd, and seemed am much astonished to see you again in the to dive overboard; but his legs and body jungle. If I have it right, these senores remained on the deck, and the gourd came came seeking you because you were heir to up full of river-water. Several gulps, and a great estate and they were commissioned he rose, breathing hard. to find you. A North American millionaire “That’s what we come up here for, any¬ is the last kind of man I should expect to see ways—clean water,” he alibied. “So I’m here, even if he had not once suffered here gittin’ mine now. That Ammyzon water is as you have.” awright if ye let it settle, but she sure needs Rand smiled wryly. some settlin’. Don’t ye want a chaser too, “But I don’t happen to be a millionaire. Hozy? No? Then eat somethin’ quick, I haven’t even a million cents, not to men¬ before ye git vi’lent. We don’t want to tion dollars.” have to fight ye.” “For Dios' There were two million dol¬ But Jose only grinned and licked his mus¬ lars—did you not say so, capitan? And tache, bowing to Knowlton as the latter that was hardly a year ago! How have you saluted him with the bottle and took a short spent so much money in so short a time?” pull. McKay drank without a quiver. “Didn’t spend a cent of it. Never had Rand barely touched the glass to his lips, it to spend. It’s this way: then replaced the cork. “My uncle, Philip Dawson, died. His “Hard case, this feller Rand,” winked son, Paul, who fought in the great war, was Tim. “Last time he got holt of a bottle he supposed to have been killed in action in the swallered the whole dang thing and then Argonne Forest. So the Dawson estate was chewed the cork for a chaser. Right after legally mine—for a while. that he sat down hard and the bottle “But Paul wasn’t killed. He was badly busted inside him, so he has to go easy a few wounded, captured, and treated none too days. If ye don’t believe me, kick him, well; and he got aphasia—forgot who he and ye’ll hear the glass jingle.” was. The War Department mixed up “You’ll be more likely to hear the angels things, recorded him as dead, and shipped singing,” countered the green-eyed man, home the body of some other soldier as his. with a tight smile. “The fact is, Joe, I’m A lot of those blunders happened in the war. not drinking any more. Drink got me into “Just about the time these chaps were -once. Maybe you remember.” finding me down here, a friend of Paul’s The Peruvian nodded. found him over there. He was working as “Si. It was drinking which got you into a field hand, and even thought he was a a fight at Manaos some years ago when you German—he had traveled a lot as a boy were traveling up the Amazon. You struck and could talk German as easily as English; down a man—a German—so hard that you so when he found himself among German believed him killed, and you hid on a people and didn’t know who he was or how steamer and fled up the river. Then you he came there, he thought he belonged there. went into the wild cannibal country on the Of course his friend got him back to the Rio Javary, fought another German— States at once, and by the time I showed 58 Adventure up lie was there in the hands of some spe¬ PRIDE gleamed in Josh’s eyes, but cialists who were getting his memory back those eyes went up the Tiger River for him. So that let me out.” as if visioning something the others _ Jose carved a section of monkey-haunch. could not see. Absently he rolled and Slicing it with careful exactness^'he passed smoked a cigaret. Not until he snapped the portions to each of his companions. All charred butt overboard did he speak. fell to chewing. “Senores,” he said abruptly, “the tale “But I thtill do not thee, Iheiior,” lisped of gold in the Napo is old. Too old. Every¬ Jose then, his mouth nearly full, “why you body knows it. True, gold is there; gold- return to thith plathe.” dust washed from the Llanganati moun¬ “We’re partners, chasing the rainbow,” tains of Ecuador. But men have known of vouchsafed Knowlton after swallowing his it for hundreds of years. Many expeditions morsel. “We three were well rewarded for have gone in after it. Some have come out; getting Dave back, even though he wasn’t some have not. Savages—accidents— the heir; the estate had to make good its fever—there are many white men’s bones contract with us. Dave wasn’t broke, either—he had some money of his own in a couple of banks. So we got restless, pooled our money, and came down to the Andes to make ourselves billionaires by finding the treasures of the Incas or anything else lying around loose. “But we were out of luck. We poked around the upper Maranon awhile and tried a couple of other prospects, but got nothing but hard knocks. So we got this boat and came along down. Thought we’d take a whirl at the Napo country, just below here. Loads of gold in the Napo, we hear, Indians pick it out of the river-bed, and so on. Want to join us and try your luck?” Jose did not answer at once. His black eyes searched the face of each man as if seeking some sign of derision or amusement. He found none. “You jest, senor,” he said presently. “Not a bit of it. What do you say, Rod— Tim—Dave? Is Jose a welcome member of this gang?” “I’ll say he is!” rumbled Tim. The other two nodded decisively. The Peruvian’s face glowed. But he in the Napo jungle. There will be many shook his head. more. “I thank you, senores, but I can not. I “Gold is there, yes. But why journey have no such outfit as you; I have no to the Napo, and hundreds of miles up the money; I am not one of you, but Jose Napo—it is eight hundred miles long, Martinez—outlaw. I could not be on amigos—to seek a thing which is nearer at equal footing-” hand? Why poke about a river where the “That’s rot, Jose,” McKay cut in. “If workings are known and covered by fighting we didn’t want you we wouldn’t ask you. men, when before you opens a stream where Money and outfit are immaterial. You have you can take anything you find?” something we lack—intimate knowledge of The Americans started. Their glances this region. Put your knowledge in the darted up the Tigre Yacu. pot with our outfit, and you owe nothing. “You mean—” Knowlton began. Coming in?” “Sssst!” hissed Jose wamingly. Again Jose held his tongue before an¬ Two of the crew were approaching, bear¬ swering. ing salt fish and hot coffee to their palrones. Tiger River 59

The Peruvian eyed them narrowly, but One laconic word answered him. none gave sign of having heard or under¬ “Jiveros.” stood the talk. Stolidly they placed the “Hm. The head-hunters! Thought we food on the raised deck, turned, and went were past their country.” back to the bow. “Oof! The Jiveros?” blurted Tim. “The “Speak on,” said McKay. “They know fellers that shrink yer head to the size of an no English except a few words like ‘paddle’ orange? Them guys?” and so on.” “Them guys,” Jose echoed with a slight “Bueno. You guess it—I mean this smile. “Their country is farther west, as Tigre Yacu. el capitan says—the rivers Pastassa, Morona, “Behold, amigos. It is but a little brook, Santiago; but they know no boundaries and yes, if one thinks of the great Maranon or they roam far. It is more than possible the Napo. Yet it runs a long way up—one that even now some of them lurk yonder hundred fifty miles or more—and it is deep; in the bush, watching us. Wise men do not canoes can travel far on it. And .it heads go up these rivers west of the Napo—onl> between two long mountain spurs, which fools like Jose. form the split end of the Cordillera del “That was why I hesitated so long before Pastassa. And that cordillera, comrades, telling you of the treasure that may be up is itself a spur from those same Llanganati the stream. To risk my own life is nothing; mountains whence comes the gold of the to lure my friends into a death-trap with Napo and its tributary river, the Curaray! me is much. But—we were together among “See. It is thus.” the southern cannibals not so long ago. Dipping a finger into his coffee, he drew So I tell you.” on the bark deck a figure somewhat like a He gulped some coffee. At once he went on: crude, elongated letter “h.” Between the “Nor is that all. Somewhere up this legs of this symbol he traced another line stream is something—I know not what—- running southeast. which makes men mad. I am not the first “The long line is the Cordillera del fool who has thought of gold up here and Pastassa, the curved one its spur,” he ex¬ gone after it. How many men have gone plained. “And the third line is this Tigre in here I know not. But until recently no Yacu. North of this cordillera runs the man has come out. Curaray, which, as I say, bears gold. Some “Two weeks ago came one Rafael Gon¬ of its tributaries flow from this cordillera. zales down to Iquitos. A hard, reckless Who shall say that the cordillera, an off¬ man he was, a killer and other things. I shoot of the Llanganati, is not bursting with say he was. He is not. gold? Who shall say that much—or all— “Months ago he went up this Tigre Yacu, of the gold of the Curaray does not come boasting that he feared no man, beast, God from this cordillera instead of the Llanga¬ or devil. Days ago he came back naked, nati? Madre de Diosl Quien sabe?” bearded, filthy, raving. But with him he His face was flaming now. And, looking brought gold. A hide bag he had^and it was into his hot black eyes, the blue and the heavy with nuggets. Yes, nuggets, not gray and the green eyes of the northerners dust. His skin was seamed with scars like suddenly flared with die reckless light of the those of a whip. His toes were gone— gold-lure. Rainbow-chasers all, hardy, every one cut off. How he walked through venturesome, fearless, they were of that the jungle, how he lived without weapons, red-blooded breed which plunges straight I do not know. But he came—and he into the jaws of death if within those jaws brought gold.” lies a prize worth the daring. In one “Did any one learn what he had been flashing instant the projected journey to through?” asked Rand. the Napo vanished from their minds like “No. He was utterly mad. He screamed wind-blown mist. The Napo was old. The frightful things, but such as made no sense. Tigre Yacu, unknown, mysterious, had Then some one stole his gold. When he caught them in a spell. found it gone he ran about yelling, fell down It was McKay, canny and controlled, frothing, and died.” who spoke first. For a long minute there was silence. All “If there’s gold here, why has it been peered up the stream. The flush of excite¬ passed by?” ment had died from their faces, but no 6o Adventure

indecision or fear showed in them. Their whip-like reports. From the Peruvian’s jaws were set and their eyes narrowed as if black-powder gun another blunt roar they were sizing up an enemy. And they thumped out. were. In each man’s mind flamed a chal¬ The black tiger, suddenly motionless, lenge to the river of missing men. sank in a red welter. Then, all at once, their heads jerked to “Guess it was just as well we did our the right. The Indians 'in the bow had talking out here,” Knowlton observed. risen from their squat and were facing to¬ “Sorry to horn into your party, Jose, but ward the spot where the Peruvian’s little I just had to slam a bullet into that fellow.” fire had smoked, and where his canoe still “It is nothing, sehor. I had first blood— lay. The blaze now had died. And through and last.” Then, grinning, he added: “I the waist-high grass something large, some¬ have made a good beginning on the Tigre thing stealthy, was creeping from, the Yacu. I have shot a black tiger and a jungle. CHAPTER III “Curaca? A chief? How come?” “Ha, ha, ha! That is my little joke. THE CONQUISTADOR Curaca means an Indian chief. But the male cotomono monkey, with his long beard, D EApY rifles slid out from the cabin. also is called curaca. You have just eaten From four of them sounded the quiet some of my chief-monkey.” snicks of safeties being thrown off. The “Uumph! Feller’s got to be eddicated to hammer of Jose’s big-bulleted repeater git these here South American jokes,” mut¬ clicked dully and poised at full cock. tered Tim. “So I been chewin’ a chief’s “The shot is mine, amigos,” he reminded leg, hey? ’Twas tough stuff, anyways.” “If you go up this stream with me, Senor So, of the five guns, his was the only one Tim, you may have to eat worse things to take aim. before you come out,” was the signifi¬ The telltale grass stood still. For a cant reply. “But our coffee cools. Let us breathless minute no sign of movement was finish it.” visible. Slowly then it swayed again above Back in the shade of the cabin the five the creeping thing, marking another few chewed and sipped in the silence of thought. inches of advance. When nothing but bare bones and empty Crash! gourds remained and tobacco was burning, Jose’s muzzle jumped. Blue smoke Knowlton reached to a peg at one side, ' drifted along the water. The grass shook. took hown a roll of rubberized fabric, ex¬ From it burst a screech of appalling fury. tracted a number of maps, and spread one The dense growth of green split. At the on the bark floor. After a moment of study water’s edge a great black cat-creature he nodded. poised, eyes glaring, fangs gleaming, tail “Your cordillera starts from the Llanga- thrashing the grass like a maddened snake. nati, all right,” he said. “And it splits into On one ebony shoulder a streak of red flowed spurs, with the Tigre starting between them. and widened. Guess this country has been explored.” “Hah-yah!” mocked Jose, his own teeth “I think not, senor,” Jose differed. bared in a tigerish snarl. “Here am I, “Then how would the map-makers know you devil! Come to me!” what was in there?” The devil came. “How do I know what is in there?” the In one leap it shot ten feet from the bank. jungle-rover countered. “Because I have Its big paws, with long claws unsheathed, talked with Indians who know. Canoemen commenced swimming almost before its of the Napo, they were, whom I met on the powerful body splashed. Eyes fixed in Amazon. Is it not quite likely that the malevolent hate on the man who had maps were made by men who never have wounded and mocked it, teeth still bared been here, but who have taken the word of in a soundless snarl, the brute lunged others who in turn had asked Indians?” straight for the boat. The blond Northerner was silenced. But From the Indians broke guttural gasps presently he added: of fear. From the white men sounded short “Well, see here. The map agrees with growls. From four high-power rifles cracked you as to the mountains, but it gives this Tiger River 61 country east of the Cordillera del Pastassa cians as the men of Peru now have become! to the Zaparos, not the Jiveros. The And though I do not intend to lose my head Jiveros are west of the Rio Pastassa.” to any man, and will fight like ten-to A faint smile twitched the Spanish mouth. keep it, if it must be lost I would rather give “Si? That is a great relief, senor. Now it to the warriors of the Jiveros than to the we can go on without caution. If we meet sneaking, foot-lapping police of my own Jiveros and they seek to cut off our heads, race. Si!” behold, we shall show them that map and His swarthy face, tanned deep by years tell them they have no right here, and they of jungle sun, twisted in sudden savage will go speeding back to_the Pastassa, desde bitterness. Abruptly he shot up to his full luego.” height, took a pantherish step, whirled, Tim snickered. McKay and Rand smiled gazed slit-eyed at the four who had made broadly. Knowlton flushed, laughed in a him their partner. vexed way, and shoved the map back among the others. “LISTEN to me!” he rasped. “I, “Faith, bein’ an army officer gits a feller Jose Martinez, am of the Conquis- into lots o’ bad habits,” remarked Tim. tadores! In me runs the blood of a “These two guys, Hozy, was officers in the man who dared the seas—dared the Andes— big war, ye see; Cap was a real cap’n and dared the jungle—and made this a land of li’l ol’ Blondy Knowlton was me looey— Spain! But for him and his comrades, what lieutenant. Course, they had to use maps would this Peru—that Ecuador—Colombia, a lot, and them maps o’ Europe are right; Venezuela, the accursed Chile, Argentina—■ everything’s jest like the map says, except what would they be today? Indian lands. mebbe the enemy. So looey got so used to The strong hand, the cold steel, the fire and believin’ the map he ain’t quite got out o’ blood of my fathers, won all this great the habit yet. But, say, what kind o’ guys country. are them there—uh—whaddye call ’em, “And what are their sons today? Perr os looey?” amarillos! Yellow dogs! Dogs who yelp “Zaparos.” out from among them like a wild beast, a Jose waved a contemptuous hand. man who still has the strength of his an¬ “Animals. Wandering beasts of the cestors—dogs who hide behind their police— forest, nothing more. They are short, flat dogs who fight only with cunning and of nose, with little eyes set slanting in their treachery and law, law, law! heads. They can not count above ten, and “The Conquistadores were heroes, be¬ for any number above three they must use cause they fought and killed. I am an out¬ their fingers. They have no towns, make law, because I have fought and killed. Yet only flimsy huts, live apart from each other never have I killed a man who would not in any place they like, then move on else¬ kill me. Not that I have always waited to where. The only thing they make is the be attacked—else I should be dead, long hammock; they are the hammock-makers since. I have seen the death in a man’s eye of the Provincia del Oriente. Oh, I was for¬ and I have acted. So I live. But I live getting—they make also a drink called with a price on my head. Why? Because ayahuasca; but it is the stupid drink of a I first killed a greasy politician, beyond the stupid people, which only makes one sleep. mountains, who had sent hired tools to They are not even interesting. There is no murder me because he wanted my danger from them.” woman——” “Uh-huh. Wal, what about the head- He broke off short and struggled for con¬ shrinkin’ fellers? They sure oughter be trol. But the flood of his fury burst forth interestin’.” The outlaw smiled grimly. “The slime! The crawling scum! I killed “You have said it, Senor Tim. There, him—si!—and his paid assassins too I killed. amigos, is a race of men! Never have they Hah! But he was a politician—a maker of been conquered. Neither my people of laws. His brother makers-of-laws lashed Spain nor the old Incas before us could make the police—the army—all of Peru—on my them bend their necks. They are fighters— trail. So am I an outlaw. fighters like my own ancestors, who, por “Bueno! So be it. I am a man. I am Dios, were no such sleek pot-bellied politi¬ among men. If I lose my head to these. 62 Adventure

Jiveros I lose it to men. And my bones will “They fight with the poisoned arrow, the rest quiet, and my shrunken head hanging spear, the club, and sometimes with ax and in a Jivero hut will grin at men—fighting knife and gun. In times of peace they trade rubber and gold for steel weapons—at His chin lifted sharply, and his eyes Macas and Canelos and Loja—but they are blazed at the farther shore. As if he saw so often at war that they can not keep them¬ Jiveros there, he did grin—a hard, deadly selves in ammunition. So they do not de¬ grin. And the four North Americans, silent, pend much on their guns. And one of the watched him level-eyed and knew he spoke big tribes of the Jiveros—the Huambisas truth. of the Santiago—will seldom trade with the Piratical, flamboyant, fiery and fearless, whites, so they have no guns, except those he needed only a coat of mail and a sword taken from white men killed while hunting to become the reincarnation of the long- gold in their region. But they need dead conquerors whose iron will and bloody none. Their own weapons are more than deeds had crushed a continent. He was a enough.” man born too late to live in the Peru beyond “Yeah,” nodded Tim. “Specially that the mountains; but here in el Oriente, where there poison that kills ye if the arrer only the quick hand and the ready steel still ruled, scratches ye. Same kind o’ stuff them he was at home. In him blazed the same Mayor Rooney cannibals over east use, I flame that had burned in the veins of s’pose. Do they eat yer hands and feet, Pizarro, Orellana, Aguirre, and their bold like them Rooney lads?” and violent followers; and it would drive Knowlton leaned back and cackled. him up this Tigre Yacu, to gold or to death, “Mayorunas, Tim, not Rooneys,” he cor¬ as it had driven them into the dread jungles rected. “They’re not Irish.” of the Napo and the Huallaga. “ Wal, that’s what I said, ain’t it? Mayor Slowly the fire in his face died out. At Rooneys. And it ain’t their fault they ain’t length, with a shrug, he turned back to Irish. They sure can fight.” “You are right and wrong, Senor Tim,” “But you would hear of those Jiveros, Jose smiled. “The Jiveros use that same not of Jose,” he deprecated. “Something poison, as you guessed. But they are not of them and their habits you must have cannibals. All they do to you after you are learned before now, but I will speak what dead is to shrink your head, and perhaps comes to my mind. braid your hair into a belt made from the “They too are wanderers, like the Zaparos; hair of other slain men. The Jivero who but in no other way are they like those kills you, amigo, will surely put your red sluggish ones, and even in their wanderings hair into his girdle. It will shine brightly* they differ. Instead of miserable palm-leaf among the black strands.” shelters separated one from another, they “Yeah? Wal, feller, unless he gits me build at a chosen place two or three strong from behind he’ll sure find he’s got a two- houses of logs standing on end, each house handed job givin’ me that haircut. What holding fifty or more people, and a tower kind o’ lookin’ guys are they? Reg’lar for use in fighting enemies who attack them. tough-mugs, prob’ly, that smell out loud.” When they move to another place all go “But no, amigo. They are most clean, together; and they move every few months, and take much care of themselves. They no matter how good the place where they bathe themselves often, and whatever thing are. It is in their blood, senores; they can they get from a white man they wash at no more live years in one spot than a tigre once. The one thing of which they have can make himself a house-cat. fear is disease, for many of their people “Often they move back to some other have died of smallpox and measles and other place where they have been before and ills caught while trading at towns; so they where their old houses wait, but it is not are suspicious of all things belonging to always so. Many times they go on and strangers until washed. build new fortresses and plant new crops. “Many of them are light of skin and have And when the drive to go grows too strong beards, with faces like those of Spaniards to be satisfied by this moving about, they burned by sun. It may even be that some strike out in fierce raids far from their old Spanish blood is in the veins of such men. homes, killing all men who block their way. I have heard that long ago—three hundred Tiger River 63 years or more—the Jiveros and the Span¬ The face of the popero lit up. The sulky iards fought a bitter war in which the white expressions of the paddlers vanished. With men were swept out of this land, and the monkey-like agility the steersman swung wives of those Spaniards had to become the himself atop the cabin roof. Eagerly the women of the Indian conquerors. If that be others turned to haul up the crude anchor. true, the Spanish children bom to those When its wet bulk glistened again in the women after capture would grow up as bow they scrambled to their places in haste Jiveros. It may be so—I know not. But to be gone. I do know this—that up this very Tigre “I think, amigos, I will await you here,” Yacu are white Indians! said Jose, as the big craft began to singe “The Yameos, they are. White Indians around. “ If you will land me-” who are restless rovers; they even cross the “Hitch your canoe astern with our own great Maranon and journey hundreds of montaria,” Knowlton interposed. “We’ll miles southward up the Ucayali. Little is all get plenty of paddling soon. Take it known of them. But it is known that they easy while you can.” are white.” “Ah, yes. But it may be as well for you “Maybe more will be known about them if I am not seen with you. I am not well when we come out,” commented Rand. known up here, more than three hundred “Si—when we come out. Many things miles above the Javary, but a bad name may be known about this river—when we travels far.” come out. But before coming out we must “Rot!” snapped McKay. “You’re our go in. Yes? No?” partner. That’s enough. Unless, of course, There was a short pause. Captain Mc¬ you’d rather not run the risk-” Kay’s keen gray gaze plumbed each face. “Ho! Risk? Jose Martinez skulks from Then he perfunctorily suggested- no town, capitan1 Who would imprison me “Contrary-minded, vote no.” must first take me.” Instead, his three mates nodded. Jose His fierce mustache bristled, and his smiled. right hand tapped the hilt of a knife under “It seems that I am to have company,” his waistband. McKay nodded shortly. he observed. “Then you ride here,” was his curt an¬ “Seems like this game has swapped ends,” swer. Tim grinned. “Li’l while ago we thought A word to the steersman, and the gar- we was electin’ ye; now ye’re adoptin’ us. retea swung shoreward. Tim, grabbing a Wal, le’s go.” length of fiber cord, clambered to the ex¬ “Not so fast,” Jose demurred. “There treme stern. While every Indian eye anx¬ must be a new boat. And fewer men.” iously searched the grass and the trees, the “Correct,” approved McKay. “Boat’s big boat halted at the bank long enough to too big. Indians won’t go up here. Got allow the hitching of the Peruvian’s canoe to shake them and paddle our own canoe. beside the little skiff of the voyagers. Then But can we get a smaller craft?” it sheered off and slid away toward the “I think so, capitan. Just below here is a yellow water below. small settlement; San Regis. It is not much—a few huts on the bank, that is all— CHAPTER IV but canoes are there. No doubt you can make a trade. But—no word of where we THE POWER OF GOLD go, comrades.” “Sure,” agreed Knowlton. “This little OUT into the turbid flood of the con¬ cruise is strictly private. All aboard for tinental stream plowed the long boat. San Regis, then. Popero!” There the paddlers settled themselves for In answer to the summons, the steersman their regular long-distance stroke. Hardly arose from 'the group of Indians still clustered had they begun to sweat, however, before around the cooking-pot. His mates, facing their tall capitan ordered them to swerve aft, watched and listened. Sullen dread toward a cleared space on the high left bank, lest they be commanded to go farther up where the peaked roofs of a few dingy clay the Tigre Yacu was stamped plain on their houses showed against the encompassing faces. wall of jungle. “ Abajo. Down-stream,” McKay ordered. Bewilderment showed in their brown faces 64 Adventure as they glanced back toward the cabin, but stood his ground and dropped a hand to the they obeyed without hesitation. Once more hilt of a machete. The menace of his atti¬ on the broad Maranon, with the demon¬ tude was plain. But Jose did not honor him water of the Tigre left behind, whatever the by drawing his own steel. white men said was right. His open hand shot out, the heel of it Into a sizable cove below the village they smacking sharply on the coppery jaw. The floated. Up ahead, sheltered by the land Indian went down as if slugged by a clenched from the power of the' giant of waters, a fist. number of canoes lay at the shore; and from “Whose boat is that?” rasped the son of them a crude footpath—hardly more than the Conquistadores again. a gully in the clay—rose to the village. The second Indian, cringing, answered Down that path were coming a couple of promptly this time. wooden-faced Indians, shirtless but wearing “Maldonado, from Moyobamba, sener.” tattered breeches, and as the garrelea “Moyobamba!” Jose spat the word as slowed to a stop they also stopped, staring. if it were a curse. “You are his man? Why “Umph. We don’t git no four-man boat in ten - did you not answer when I here,” declared Tim, after a glance among called? Where is that accursed Moyobam- the meager stock of canoes. bino master of yours?” “A couple of three-man dugouts will do,” The man retreated another step, blinking said Knowlton. “Put two men in each and with fear, and pointed a hand up the bank. split the outfit. There’s one three-man “So. He shall soon see me. And you, boat over yonder. Looks good, too. Find you dog—when next a white man speaks another and we’re fixed.” to you, answer at once and civilly! H you But finding the other was not so easily do not— Ho! You on the ground, who done. The others all were too small—all, said you could get up? Down, you mis- that is, except one hulking craft at the end born whelp!” of the line, which bore a striking resem¬ With which he lifted one bare foot, blance in size and shape to the garrelea of jammed it into the face of the rising man, the adventurers. At this Jose scowled. and slammed him down again. Whereafter “We come at a bad time,” he muttered. he gave him a tongue-lashing lurid with “Traders are here. Ho, Indiosl Whose oaths and picturesque threats, the last of boat is that?” which was that if he moved before he was The staring pair on the footpath did not whistled to he would have his bowels cut answer. One mumbled growlingly to the out and tied around his neck. With a final other, and they resumed their downward glare at both of them, Jose spun about and way, turning, at the bottom, toward the stalked back to the Americans, who now long boat. had landed. “-” snarled the Peruvian, his eyes “Their master is a sneaking Moyobam- snapping. “Put me ashore, capitan! I will bino trader, un tal Maldonado,” he an¬ put tongues in the heads of the surly nounced. “If you know not the Moyobam- dogs!” binos, learn now that they are cheating, McKay, unspeaking, motioned shore¬ lying, thieving dogs, known from Lima to ward. The popero grunted, and the pad- Para for their rascally tricks. Their one dlers sank their blades. thought is money. If one of them heard “Go easy, Jose,” Knowlton cautioned. that a dead man with three pesetas in his “We come here to trade, not to fight.” pocket lay rotting on the shore, he would “Es verdad. But let these Indians escape not rest until he had smelled out the corpse with their insolence, and what trade should and torn the money from it. Such is the Moyobambino. ” Without awaiting a reply, he made a “Seems to me I’ve heard of those fellows,” flying leap to the stern of a dugout near at said Knowlton. “They’re called ‘ the tight¬ hand; landed cat-footed, and in three more wads of the Andes.’ ” bounds was ashore. Fierce face shoved for¬ “Just so, teniente. A tight-wad can ward, red kerchief flaring sinister, in the sometimes be trusted—a Moyobambino sun, he strode at the two Indians. never. One of them, cowed by the truculence of “One of the worst massacres on this the outlaw’s eye, gave back. The other Maranon was caused by one of those curs. Tiger River 65

It was at Santa Teresa, between the rivers rifle salute. “Whistle to yer dog, Hozy. Santiago and Morona—a town which exists He’s gittin’ restless.” Jose, glancing back at the forgotten In¬ “A party of bold young men from the dian whom he had downed, chuckled harshly Rio Mayo determined to seek gold on the as he found the man still on the ground. Santiago, though that is the country of the He gave a sharp whistle and lifted a finger. fierce Huambisas. They started up the The Indian lurched to his feet and slunk Maranon to carry out their plan. But there away toward the farther end of his master’s was a dirty dog of a Moyobambino trader, boat. one Canuto Acosta, to whom some of the Up the slope clambered the four, each Santa Teresans owed a little gold-dust; and carrying his rifle. Tim got back on board he was worried lest the coming of the gold- and leaned against the cabin, where he hunters might spoil his chance of collecting could watch everything without effort. his paltry debt. So he scurried up the The crew lounged at ease, incurious, un¬ river ahead of them and reached the little aware that their voyage down the river was town just as a big party of Huambisas came likely to end here. The two men of the in from the Santiago to trade. Moyobambino effaced themselves by en¬ “To these bloody savages he said that a tering their own craft and squatting in the great army of white men was coming up bow. the river to crush their tribe and make them slaves. The Huambisas at once killed every BAT THE top of the bank the man in the town—forty and seven of them— Northerners threw one glance around and carried away sixty women as their the weedy, slovenly little village, slaves. They left alive only two boys, whom wrinkled their noses at the odor of decaying they put on a raft and sent down the river offal, and headed for a damp-looking mud- to tell the gold-hunters they would kill walled house around which clustered a knot them also if they came on. So, senores, one of sluggish men and frowsy women—In¬ hundred and seven people went to death or dians and mestizos. A boy, spying the ap¬ misery because of one lying Moyobam- proach of the newcomers, let out a shrill yell. The adults turned with a suddenness “Huh! And I s’pose the mutt that done that sent a small cloud of flies buzzing up it got away with a whole hide,” growled off their unclean skins. Tim. “ Estrcmjerosl” shrieked a number of the “No. He was the first man killed.” women. “Yeah? Good!” Then, perceiving that those strangers “Good indeed, comrade. If only the were white senores, they began simpering Huambisas had stopped with killing him—- with affected shyness and furtively at¬ but that is not their way. Nor is it the tempted to pat their hair into something way of Moyobambinos to let any other approaching tidiness. The men simply men get money if they also can smell it. stood and gaped. What that Acosta did, this Maldonado With the aggressive stride of the domi¬ would do if he suspected where we go and nant race, the four tramped straight up to why. He would try to betray us in some the mongrel pack before speaking. The way, if only to keep us from finding a townspeople, scanning the bleak face of treasure he could not have. Capitan, if McKay and meeting the hard eye of Jose, the misbegotten cur seeks to know our involuntarily shrank together, presenting a business, let me handle him.” compact front. McKay’s set lips twitched slightly. “Buenos dias, amigos,” spoke McKay. “He’s your meat,” he agreed. “I’ll “Where is your head man?” handle the trade, though. Tim, stick here “Within, sefior,” answered a fat, pomp¬ ous-looking mestizo. “The Sefior Pablo “ Right, cap.” The red-haired man swung Arredondo. But he is engaged in affairs his left hand carelessly to his gun-barrel in of business.” “ So. We bring him further affairs. Have •True. Recorded in the official! report’ of Lieut. William he 33rd Congress, on his the goodness to step aside.” “But the Sefior Torribio Maldonado—" ent, eight years after the began the important one. 66 Adventure

“Can step aside also,” McKay broke in. was so scarce that canoemen were paid with “We have haste.” stingy yards of cloth and business was done “And we dislike the stench of your fly¬ by primitive barters, where a paltry peseta blown town too much to wait,” Jose added was something to be proudly exhibited and with a hard grin. a silver sol was to be hoarded—gold money, The fat yellow man swelled as if mortally tossed carelessly into the air! The glittering insulted. Then, catching the glimmer under rise and fall of that coin accomplished more the black brows of the outlaw, he suddenly than half an hour of patient talk would began laughing in a scared way and backed have done. Hardly had it thudded softly a step. back into McKay’s palm when the greasy “Enter, amigos!” he squeaked. “Ha, ha, one was leaning forward, his loose lips ha! A rich joke, & fe mia! He, he, he!” writhing in an ingratiating grimace. The With a contemptuous glance Jose forth¬ Moyobambino—his hand had clenched like with began shouldering his arrogant way the claw of a swooping hawk. through to the door. The three Northerners “ Senates!” gurgled the town authority. with less violence but no less firmness, “What is your pleasure?” pressed the townsmen aside and forced a “Canoes,” laconically answered the cap¬ path which otherwise might not have tain, closing his hand but allowing the rim opened to them for an hour. A moment of the yellow disk to peep out between his later they were inside the musty house. fingers. “Two three-man canoes. For them The “affairs of business” were in plain we will trade a fine large garretea.” sight on a rickety table. They comprised “A garretea!” The other face fell. the contents of a large bottle, which the “What should we of San Regis do with so Sefior Torribio Maldonado and the civic big a boat? And two canoes of that sort— authority evidently had already discussed no hay.” to some extent; for the bottle was far from “There is one in the port,” disputed Mc¬ full, while the head man showed signs of Kay. “Think hard, my friend. There being on the way to becoming so. His must be another.” greasy face was heavy with liquor and dis¬ “No hay,” was the doleful answer. pleasure at being disturbed. One direct Then die Senor Torribio Maldonado in¬ look at him told the newcomers that trading truded himself. might be a protracted affair, involving much “Amigo mio—querido amigo mio—” he patience and diplomacy—unless a shrewd stroke could be delivered at the outset. “Liar!” spat Jose. “No man is your McKay instantly decided on the nature of ‘dear friend.’ No man wishes to be. Hold that stroke. your tongue!” But first he and his companions studied The man of Moyobamba, after one look, the other man, whose predatory face hung obeyed. Meanwhile McKay took another over the table like that of a vulture. Hook- tack. beaked, slit-mouthed, beady-eyed, scrawny “Then we must keep our garretea. Also of neck and humpy of shoulder, with one we keep our gold. If there were canoes— skinny hand lying like a curved talon on the but there are none. Good day.” table—there was no need to ask if he was a Dropping the coin back into a pocket, he Moyobambino. Already his cunning eyes turned doorward. were agleam with speculation as to whether “Wait!” blurted the pride of San Regis. he could make anything out of these “If there were canoes, you would buy travelers. them—with gold?” McKay turned his gaze back to the “Yes. But—no hay.” frowning visage of the big man of the village. McKay took a step outward. Without speaking, he casually drew from “ Sehort Have the goodness to wait— a pocket a gold coin and flipped it whirling one little moment. One canoe there is, into the air. In a shaft of sunlight shining si. And-” in at a small side window the spinning gold “That canoe is mine, Pablo!” yelled flashed yellow darts at the two men beyond Maldonado. “Before these strangers came the table. Into the sodden face of Ar¬ you agreed to let me have it, and also to redondo leaped an answering flash of life. give me a new crew for my big boat-” Gold! Gold money! Here where money “—And now it comes to my mind that Tiger River 67 there is another,” pursued the greasy one, “A quick voyage to you!” came the jeer¬ ignoring the trader. “I had forgotten—it ing answer. is just finished—it will be put into the water “Faith,” muttered Tim Ryan, “mebbe immediately, caballero mio! Mariano— ye spoke a true word, feller, at that.” Juan—Mauricio—you'others! Put beside the garretea of these gentlemen the new CHAPTER V canoe! At once!” “But it is mine—they are mine!” EYES IN THE BUSH screeched the Moyobambino. “I will sell them to you, senores-” GRIPPED again by the current of the “You have not paid for them,” Arredondo Maraiion, the long river-boat and its harshly retorted. “So they are not yours. half-squad of canoes floated downstream. Senor— Capitan—that is real gold in your It traveled slowly, however, for McKay had hand? You will give it me now? How ordered the paddlers to rest. Meanwhile a much?” council of war proceeded in the cabin. “Twenty gold dollars of the United States “We have to get rid of this garretea, its of North America,” McKay solemnly an¬ crew, and the montaria,” stated McKay. swered, opening his hand half-way. “Gold. “May as well drift until we figure out how. Gold of the finest. You shall have it when It won’t take us long to go back upstream, we have the canoes.” and it’s as well to get away from San Regis “Santo Domingo! San Pedro! Madre de and that snooping trader. Now what’ll we Dios! The canoes are mine!” roared Mal¬ do with this cumbersome craft?” donado. “He has no right to sell them! Frowns of thought ensued. The big boat Give the gold to me!” had become a veritable elephant on their Jose burst into a roar of mirth. The hands. It was Jose who suggested a solu¬ others grinned. tion of the problem. “Oho-ho-ho!” yelped the outlaw. “A “Perhaps this may do, capitan. Send Moyobambino beaten in a trade! Twenty boat and crew to Iquitos, and with them a golden dollars, Torribio, which go not into carta to a man I know, telling him to pay your claws! Yah-hah-ha! It is too good!” off the crew and hold the boats for us. I The trader, beside himself, sprang up, have a friend there—oh, yes, even an out¬ knocking over the flimsy table. Like a law has friends—who will do this if I write flash Jose’s face froze. the letter. The two boats are worth much “Sit, senor!” he said softly, a sinister more than the wages for the paddlers, is it sibilance in his tone. not so? Then he will lose nothing if we For one instant the other glared—for one never come to get them. instant only. Then, his face that of a man “Promise the Indians more pay if they who had just looked Death in the eye, he reach there by a certain time, and they will slowly, very carefully, sank back. He still sat travel fast enough to keep ahead of that there when the adventurers and the greedy- spying Maldonado, who surely would ques¬ mouthed Arrpdondo had passed outside. tion them if he caught up with them. Or But a little later, when the two new canoes does he travel down the river? I wish I were hitched to the garretea and all San knew what is in his garretea.” Regis stood clustered on the bank, the man “I can tell ye that,” volunteered Tim. of Moyobamba appeared and bent a long “I got tired standin’ on board, so I rambled look on the gold-piece now reposing in the over and peeked at his cargo. It’s heavy dirty palm of the double-dealing Pablo, who stuff—copper kittles and hardware and gloated down at its yellow luster as if crockery-” hypnotized. Then his sly gaze lifted to “Ah! Estd bienl He goes upstream. If Pablo’s fascinated face, and he grinned a he were downbound he would be carrying cunning grin. straw hats, sarsaparilla, sugar, and such To the white men out on the water, things, for the down-river trade. Then we already outward bound, he yelled boldly— need not care how much time these paddlers “Where do you go with all those boats?” take. Only give them the letter, explain Rand, lounging against the cabin, spoke to the popero, and let them go. Is the plan his first words since leaving the Tigre Yacu. good, capitan?” “To the devil!” he snapped. “Why not pay ’em off ourselves?” Rand 68 Adventure demurred. “We’ve got lots of trade- on me wrist, to say nothin’ o’ paper and ink. cloth-” Hey, there, ye wall-eyed Settin’ Bull, where “If you pay them they will go straight ye puttin’ that bag? Over there—por alii— back home as soon as we are out of sight, alia,— Aw, talk to him, Hozy! I git me sefior,” Jose interrupted. “Let us make a French and Spinach mixed when I want to good start up the Tigre Yacu before any talk fast.” one learns of our journey. Not that many Jose, chuckling, set the bewildered Indian will dare to follow, but-” right with three sharp words and a gesture, “Jose has the right idea,” dipped McKay. and therefore aided in speeding up the “That looks like a good cove over yonder. shifting of the equipment. The coppery May as well transfer our stuff there. crew, who knew they would not be kicked Poperal Adentrol Inland, over yonder!” or struck by the North Americans, were The puzzled steersman obediently swung taking, their time in all they did; but when his rudder and growled at the paddlers. they heard the Spaniard’s crackling oaths The flotilla veered, plowed into a gap in and found him looming over them in ap¬ the bank, bumped to a stop against the parent eagerness to decapitate any man shore. At once the work of transshipment who dawdled, they jumped. Under the lash of his tongue they finished the job in Xe paddlers, much mystified, found half-time. themselves stowing in the two newly ac¬ Then, after a final inspection of the gar- quired canoes the sealed kerosene tins— retea to make sure nothing was forgotten, which held not oil but food, cartridges, and McKay told the crew that their ways parted such necessities, soldered tight to keep out here. Carefully, patiently, he explained moisture and thievish hands—and other just what they were to do, until it was paraphernalia of their patrones. Meanwhile evident that it was understood. The letter the Peruvian, equipped with paper and pen¬ he gave’to the popero, who took it gingerly cil by Knowlton, laboriously composed a and turned it over and over. Then., he brief note which he signed, not with name glanced along the huddle of Indian faces, or initials, but with an undecipherable which stared glumly back at him as if their symbol. When it was done he laughed in owners wondered if they were not the self-derision. victims of some white-man treachery. “Look at the miserable scrawl!” he jeered. “Jose, you’re sure these chaps will be “When I was a little boy in—a certain town paid in full at Iquitos?” he demanded. beyond the mountains—I wrote such a hand “I am positive, capitan,” the Peruvian that the padre used to pat my head. And answered earnestly. “I know that man as now—San Pablo! one would think this note I know my right hand, and he will do as I written with a machete instead of a pencil. have written. He will pay them their just Years of the paddle and the gun have de¬ wage and get them places on some up- stroyed the writing trick. I move the whole bound boat. They will have no trouble in arm to make one tiny letter.” receiving what is due or in returning home.” “Ain’t it the truth?” sympathized Tim. The captain nodded. In direct, curt, but “Me, I never was no hand to write, but till kindly phrases he pledged them his word I went to France I could git off some kind that no trick was being put upon them, and of a letter to me girl without tearin’ me that the paper in the hands of the popero shirt. Then after I got used to heavin’ would bring them the full reward for their Fritzies around with me bay’nit I couldn’t toil. The sooner they reached Iquitos, he sling a pen at all, at all. I’d git cramps. pointed out, the sooner they would be paid; So I jest wrote, ‘Wait till I git home, kid, they had best not dally on the way, and and I’ll tell ye all about it. So no more above all they must not lose the paper or from yours truly.’ And I let it go at that.” allow any one to turn them aside from their “And what did the girl say, amigo?” j ourney. For a moment they stared back at laughed Jose. him, searching his face. Then they stirred “Aw, she gimme a long-distance bawlin’ and muttered their belief in his words. out and then married a guy that was makin’ “We leave with you,” McKay added, a million a week in a shipyard. I got me smiling a little, “ to help you on your way, another girl toot sweet—one o’ them pretty a little aguardiente. It is here in the cabin. li’l frogs—and saved a lot o’ wear and tear Tiger River 69

The glum faces lit up. Teeth gleamed in For a moment, holding their boats steady joyous grins, and as the captain went over with slow strokes, the five men gazed the side they scrambled into the cabin to around. One last look they took at the drink his parting gift. tremendous river marching onward in sav¬ “Nothing like sending them away happy,’’ age power through the wilderness—a grim laughed Knowlton, who .had suggested the monster which, even though it now rested idea of leaving the raw liquor. “Poor fel¬ between the periods of its engulfing floods, lows, they get little enough pleasure.” gnawed ceaselessly at its jungle walls and And as the three canoes slid out into the from time to time brought miles of tree¬ river they all looked back and tossed their laden shore tumbling down into its insatiable paddles in response to the shouts of the sons maw; which, already a thousand miles of the western mountains: away from its birthplace in little Lake “Hasta luego, senoresr Good-by for Lauricocha, would sweep on eastward for awhile!” three thousand miles farther, growing more They were the last cheery words the five and more vast, until it hurled its yellow were to hear, except from one another, for tide two hundred miles out into the Atlantic many a long day. Ocean—a sullen serpent of waters, malig¬ nant, merciless, untamable as the colossal INTO the glare of the westering mountains whence it sprang. sun surged the canoes, driven by the Yet the level-eyed voyagers in the hol- powerful strokes of fresh muscles lowed-out log boats gave the monster only and by the impetus of a new quest. The the casual look of men who cared no whit twin dugouts, built for three men each, for its power. It was the smaller stream held two pairs; McKay and Knowlton in that held their searching gaze—the frank, the one, Rand and Tim in the other. Jose, clear water which seemed to hold no evil alone in his smaller craft, slipped along with thing in its limpid depths, yet which lured the careless ease of a tireless machine. Be¬ bold hearts into a dim land of sorcery and fore long, he knew, his four new mates would there swallowed them utterly or flung them become conscious of hot palms and fatigued back, scarred, mutilated, and mad; the shoulders; for weeks of traveling in the con¬ flowing road to mountains of golden trea¬ finement of a garretea give men scant chance sure, but a road beleaguered by ferocious to keep fit. But he said no word. beasts and by man-demons who belted San Regis drew near, crept past, and fell themselves with human hair and shrunk away behind without sign that the passage human heads into leering dolls. of the little fleet had been observed. Evi¬ “Once upon a time,” said blue-eyed dently the population of the town was again Knowlton, “when I was a little kid, I used clustered at the door of the great man to read fairy tales and Arabian-Nights yarns Arredondo, listening to every word uttered about caves where dragons would come out and watching the progress of their Moyo- and shoot fire out of their noses and broil bamba visitor’s campaign to get possession wayfarers to death; and about ogres who of the American double-eagle. The adven¬ trapped travelers into their castles and turers, remembering the cunning gaze of the stewed them for supper, and one-eyed trader at the gold-dazed Pablo, had not the giants who picked men up by the feet and slightest doubt that before morning the bit their heads off, and so on. And when up-river man would have that coin in his I went to bed and the room was dark I greasy pouch. But that was a matter for could see those thing standing in the black Pablo to worry about. They had their comers and glowering at me. Gee, I used canoes—stout boats worth double the price to sweat blood! paid—and were on their way. “Then when I grew older I sneered at Soon the one-man canoe drew a little myself for ever believing such things. But ahead and swung inward. It curved athwart lately I’m not so sure I sneered rightly. the eddying shore-current and glided into There isn’t much choice, after all, between the bank, out of sight. The others, fol¬ a fiery dragon and a tiger that tears out lowing close, slowed beside it and came to a your throat, or between a fellow who bites pause. Once more clear water flowed off your head and one who cuts it off and around them. Behind rolled the Maraiion. keeps it so that he can spit in your face Ahead opened the Tigre. whenever he feels grouchy.” 70 Adventure

“Getting cold feet!” smiled McKay, who the dead ashes of the Peruvian’s noonday more than once had seen the former lieu¬ fire lay hidden in the grass, and where the tenant plunge recklessly into an inferno of mud still held the broad tracks of a cat- blood and flame among the shell-torn creature which long before this had been trenches of the Hindenburg Line. torn asunder by down-river alligators. On “Uh-huh. Numb from the knees down. they swept, gradually growing smaller, until But, on the level, I'm beginning to wonder at length they slid out of sight around a if we’re not a lot of jackasses to go in here. turn. Seems as if those San Regis bums would Then, at the edge of the thick growth have some gold if this river of theirs was above the point where they had paused, a gold-bearing.” man moved. Across his flat coppery face, Jose spat. expressionless as that of a crude wooden “Bah! Those sons of sloths? If the idol, passed a flicker of hatred. One dirty ground beneath their miserable hovels were paw, resting on the hilt of a machete dan¬ full of gold, teniente, they would not have gling down his ragged breeches, tightened as ambition enough to dig it up. And to go up ff around the throat of a Spaniard. Beady this stream seeking it—not they! They eyes glancing warily around him, he began lock themselves into their houses at night silently working his way eastward, down the for fear of the tigres.” bank of the Maranon. Rand nodded. He was the Indian whom Jose had “Same way over in the Andes,” he said. knocked flat on the shore of the port of San “Indians, poor as dirt, shivering and lousy, Regis. And he was on his way back to the living on top of millions in gold and silver town where waited his master, the Senor and never digging down to it. Takes a Torribio Maldonado. , white man to hunt treasure. What’s biting you, Tim?” CHAPTER VI Tim, who had been twitching his shoul¬ ders as if to dislodge something, now lifted IN THE PATH OF THE STORM a hand and scratched. “Nothin’—yet. Mebbe it’s only me BETWEEN two hundred-foot walls of imagination, but I been feelin’ crawly since vivid verdure, starred softly by deli¬ we left that there town. Them folks ain’t cately tinted orchids and tipped by the human. I bet the only time they git a yellowish bud-flowers of palms, the Tigre bath is when they git caught in the rain. Yacu shone like polished silver, unruffled And I seen a whole platoon o’ bugs maneu¬ by the faintest breath of air. On its placid verin’ in one guy’s hair. And did ye pipe bosom were mirrored great flowering ferns, the bare-naked kid eatin’ dirt?” fifty feet tall; curving stems and drooping All shook their heads. But Jose smiled fronds of the giant of grasses, the bamboo; understandingly. the high-reaching branches of the jagua, “ ’Tis so. He was clawin’ up hunks o’ the enormous plumes of the jupati, the clay and chewin’ ’em—I seen him swaller feather-bunch crown of the ubussu, the the stuff! And them bugs—ooch!” white trunk and flat top of the lordly silk- He scratched again vigorously. cotton tree, and the looping, twining, dan¬ “That is nothing new, comrade,” Jose gling network of aerial vines. said calmly. “Children who are eaters of Even the emerald gleam of the huge dirt are common enough in this country green tree-beetles, shining like jewels in the west of the Napo, and east of it too. But glare of the westering sun, was reflected unless we are to go back to San Regis, let from the flawless surface of the river of the us move now and find a place to make camp evil name. Over it wheeled and floated tonight. The sun swings low.” clouds of gorgeous blue and yellow butter¬ “Right ye are. Le’s go. I’ll fight all the flies. Across it winged flocks of green par¬ head-hunters this side o’ Heligoland before rots, and along it hopped and yelped huge- I’ll go back among them bugologists.” beaked toucans gaudy in feather-dress of The water swirled behind the paddles flaring yellow, orange, and red. and creamed away from the prows. Three A captivating, alluring river it seemed, abreast, the canoes surged away up the beckoning the wanderer on into an elysium river of Tigers. They passed the spot where where no evil could wait and where stingless Tiger River 71 bees would pour their honey into his bowl. breaking stick, and with bow and arrow, But to those wanderers who even now which killed in silence. were stroking up into its luxuriance and The archer of the company was the furrowing its smooth surface into uneasy taciturn, green-eyed Rand. If, up to the ripples it was not the Eden it looked. time of the arrival at the mouth of the Every man of the five was tormented by Tigre, he had been merely a very silent scores of red-hot needles. partner whose financial interest and ability Though their distance from shore might to rough it formed his main excuse for being protect them from savage man or beast, one of the party, he now became one of its it only made them easier prey to the tiny most important members. torturers whose ferocity has for centuries For five years, before being found and aided the head-hunting barbarians to keep rehabilitated by the three former soldiers the tributaries of the Maranon almost un¬ who now were his comrades, he had been a inhabited by white men; the bloodthirsty wild creature of the jungle; and grim neces¬ mosquitoes and sancudos, the almost in¬ sity had made him as expert in the construc¬ visible piums, the big black montuca flies tion and use of bow and arrows as any of the whose lancets bore so big a hole in the flesh savages among whom he lived. More, it that blood drips long after the bite. Out had given him the keen hunting instinct on fhe broad Maranon itself, where the and the instantaneous perception of the east winds swept strong and steady across presence of animal life to which no civilized all floating craft, the North Americans had white man can attain without living long suffered little from such pests. But now, amid primeval surroundings. And now, well up the Tigre River, they had long lost though no longer a “wild dog,” he had not that wind; and the exposed skin of every lost either his hunting-animal sensitiveness man was blackened with the minute scars or his deadly skill with the weapon of of the piums and scabbed with the wounds primitive man. of the monlucas. And, with merciless In fact, his marksmanship with the bow persistence, fresh hordes kept swarming to was much better than with the rifle. Though the attack. he had equipped himself in the States with Yet, in days of dogged journeying, they the same type of rifle and pistol favored by had suffered nothing except this constant the ex-Army men, and had made himself blood-letting. Not once had human foes thoroughly familiar with their use, he still appeared. Not once had any animal or was only a fair shot. In comparison with snake assailed them—though each night the the shooting of his companions, his was not roar of more than one tigre had sounded too even fair. To both McKay and Knowlton close to camp for comfortable rest, and from belonged the little silver medal with crossed time to time during the day as well there rifles which the United States Army bestows came from the maze of shore growth the only on its crack shots; Tim, ex-sergeant, menacing note of some jungle king voicing had won the sharpshooter’s cross—and, in his resentment of the invasion of his domain. his open-handed way, given it to the girl They received no response to their challenge, who later married the shipyard worker; those fierce animals, for Captain McKay Jose, veteran jungle-ranger, was deadly with had issued strict orders to ignore them. either rifle or machete. In such company “Let them alone unless they attack,” he Rand was low gun. commanded. “We’re here for something Whether because of a natural dislike to more important than cat-shooting, and the feeling himself inferior to his comrades*in less noise we make the better. No firing the use of weapons, or because of an unless necessary.” atavistic urge to revert to the barbaric So, except for the volley which had blown implement of death after returning to the the head off the big black cat at the Ma¬ primordial land east of the Andes, on his ranon, neither the high-powered bolt-action way down the big river he had quietly built rifles of the Americans nor the big-bored for himself a new bow, with a quiver and a repeater of Jose had spoken since the five- goodly supply of arrows. A formidable cornered partnership had been formed. weapon was that bow. Hunting was done at the end of each day’s Made after the fashion of the Javaiy traverse, but only with a light .22 table- cannibal country where he had lived, it gun, which made little more noise than a was fully seven feet long, built for shooting 72 Adventure high into the air and transfixing prey seen a disadvantage. Thus the pair formed a on the loftiest branches, or for drop¬ very efficient team. ping the arrow in a parabolic plunge on quarry—animal or human—found on the NOW another day was nearing its ground. end. A sweltering day, it had been; The quiver, woven .in basket style from a breathless, cloudless day on which tough palm-strips, he decorated at the top the vindictive assaults of the insect hordes with a thin wooden collar carved with a seemed to have been redoubled. Ceaselessly sharp knife from a section of palo de sangre. they hunted skin-spots not already hardened And the arrows, made from straight cane, and scabbed by the bites of their prede¬ he tipped according to the savage custom cessors; they burrowed into beards and with barbed tail-bones of the swamp sting¬ shaggy hair, they crawled into noses and ray, bought from Indians. ears, they sneaked inside shirts and strove Equipped with these and minus his to dig under the sweatbands of the hats. boots—which, despite the ever-present dan¬ The paddlers, smeared with clay which ger of snake-bite, he refused to wear while they had applied in the vain hope of de¬ hunting—he would slip away into the bush fending their tortured skins, grinned and late in the day, silent and deadly as any bore it; grinned not with mirth or contempt, prowling beast of the forest. With him, but with the fixed facial contraction of carrying the little .22, went—not Jose, the acute discomfort which must be endured. other bush-trained hunter of the party, but Tight-mouthed, slit-eyed, their faces were Knowlton. While they were out Jose and masks of unbreakable determination. Their the other two would make camp for the shoulders swung with regular unbroken night. And before the sun slid down behind sway, and the paddles rose and fell as if the distant Andes and night whelmed the moved by machines driven by inexorable forest the absent pair always returned with will. Bugs might come and bugs might go, ample meat. but it seemed that the three boats would Jose, who under normal conditions should surge on with never a halt to the journey’s have been one of the hunters, remained at the river-bank from choice; the choice being But the eyes under those slits were scan¬ due to the fact that he was not allowed to ning the shores, which now were closer to¬ shoot his own heavy gun. On trying to snap gether than back at the Maranon, and from the light, short, low-power rifle to his shoul¬ time to time the heads turned in a brief der and catch the sights quickly he found look at some possible camp-site. It was himself, as he expressed it, “all thumbs.” nearing the hour when the voyagers must After a few vain efforts to accustom him¬ land, hunt, throw up pole-and-palm shelters, self to it he handed it back with a rueful sling hammocks, eat, and seek badly needed grin. refuge from their tormentors inside the drab “With a man’s gun, amigos, with that old insect-bars. And in his stubborn heart iron bar of mine, I can shoot,” he said. every man was glad of it. “But with this toy rifle—this little boy’s With a wordless grunt Jose veered out of plaything—no. And these tiny bullets— line toward the left shore. The twin dug- por Dios, they feel like fleas in my hand! outs followed. Into a shadowy creek be¬ If I shot a monkey with one of them I tween small bluffs they went. Within the should feel that I had insulted him.” entrance thick brush flanked them like So it was Knowlton—who had amused impenetrable walls. But a few rods farther himself many a time by popping the little upstream Jose drew up to shore and paused. gun at alligators’ eyes during the long days There the tangle was thinner, and the of drifting—who followed Rand on the Peruvian pointed to an arm-thick sindicaspi stealthy pot-hunting trips. Despite his tree. comparative inexperience at jungle travel “Will do,” granted McKay, speaking afoot, he could step quietly and spy game through lips swollen by bites. quickly, and he could shoot like a flash. The pair of San Regis dugouts drew up, With Rand as his guide he had no difficulty and their paddlers rose stiffly and stepped in getting about, and now and then he ashore. knocked over some bird or small animal in A moment of wary looking around—then places where his partner’s long bow was at Jose slashed his machete with whirling Tiger River 73 deftness through the nearest bush-stalks, barefoot, carrying the most archaic missile¬ clearing a small space. The travelers pulled throwing weapon known; the other light from their canoes dry clothing and large of eye and hair, sensitive-mouthed, appear¬ gourds, and, with such speed as their tired ing more like a dreamer than a man of muscles allowed, they stripped. Insects action, bearing a puny weapon which in¬ swooped exultantly at the bared skins. But deed looked to be the boy’s toy Jose had the pests had hardly alighted when they called it. Yet they were brothers at heart— were swept away by the gourdfuls of water brothers of the long trails and the lawless with which their victims deluged them¬ lands—and each was equipped to fight the selves from hair to heels. A copious drench¬ most ferocious beast or man; for strapped ing, a swift rub-down, a hurried donning to each right thigh swung a heavy auto¬ of dry garments, and the five stood rein¬ matic, and down each left leg hung a keen vigorated. With one accord they produced machete. tobacco and papers and rolled cigarets. For a short distance they stole along in “Got firewood, anyways,” remarked Tim, file, eyes searching the branches, feet sub¬ eying the sindicaspi tree and luxuriously consciously picking clear going. All at once blowing smoke into the cloud of bugs around Rand stiffened and paused; but only for a him. “Better git busy and make camp. moment. Then he moved on. Up from the Bet ye we have another crackin’ thunder¬ creek-side rose a brown bird resembling a storm soon. We didn’t git no shower today. pheasant, which whirred away aloft and Same way our first day up — there wasn’t vanished among the dense foliage. Knowl- no rain that noon, but we sure caught it ton’s rifle, instinctively lifted, sank again. that night.” Both men had recognized the gamy-looking The others nodded. The regular noon flier as a chansu, whose flesh is so musky rain, usually arriving from the east as that even Indians refuse to eat it. punctually as if turned on by prearranged Onward they crept, threading the path¬ schedule, had failed to arrive that day. The less tangle like somber shadows for perhaps air now was oppressively heavy, though another hundred yards. Then the light nowhere near so hot as out on the river; increased. Just ahead the tree-tops thinned, in fact, the change in temperature was so and after a few more stealthy steps the marked in the damp forest shadows that if hunters halted behind trees at the edge of the travelers had not shed their sweat-soaked a small lagoon. At once each threw up his clothing promptly on landing they would weapon. A few beet beyond, at the edge have speedily become chilled. of the water, were feeding a splendid pair “The rain must come,” Jose agreed. of huananas—big ducks, armed with small “The path of the sun is the path of the horns on the wings. storm, as the Indians say. The sun has So close was the prey that Rand, extend¬ nearly passed, and the storm is not far ing his bow horizontally, loosed point- behind.” blank. At the low twang of the cord both With which he drew his machete again birds jumped and shot out broad wings in and renewed his destruction of the small the first beat of flight. But neither rose. growth. Tim pulled a half-ax from his With the thrum of the bow blended the snap canoe and advanced on the sindicaspi tree— of the little rifle. The extended wings fell one of the few dependable fuel woods in the asprawl, the reaching necks collapsed, and humid forests of the upper Amazon. Mc¬ both birds floated dead on the water. Kay, with a similar ax, looked about for Exultantly the men started forward to material for the comer-posts and ridge-pole retrieve their game. In that same moment of the night refuge. Rand, who had re¬ two things happened. A couple of rods mained unshod after his bath, got out his farther on, a bush swayed. As Rand’s quick big bow, and Knowlton picked up the eye caught the movement, the light sud¬ scorned but useful little rifle. Every man denly dimmed and behind them sounded a was at his job. rising roar like the onrush of a mighty tidal With no word of parting, the pair of hunters slipped away into the woods, work¬ For an instant Rand watched the bush. ing up-stream. Oddly mated they seemed, Then, deciding that the movement was and incongruously armed: The one stolid¬ caused by some animal, he glanced up. faced as an Indian, black-bearded, hatless, Overhead loomed black clouds, hurtling 74 Adventure westward at terrific speed. Behind, the tropic stars shone in a clear sky of deep dark roar of the onsweeping wind culminated in blue, dropping a faint light which, to such a crash of thunder. Storm was upon them. creatures as moved above the matted roof Dropping his rifle, Knowlton plunged of branch and leaf, gave form and substance thigh-deep into the muddy pool and seized to those things near at hand. But down the birds. Rand swept a searching gaze below, where shadows lay thick even at along^the shore, seeking shelter—and found noonday, the gloom now was that of an it. Just beyond the spot where the bush abyss. Through it could pass only such had wagged stood a patriarchal old tree, in life as could dilate its eyes to the rims, the whose base opened a black hole. Shouting, noisome things which have no eyes and need the green-eyed man pointed to it, grabbed none, or that unbeatable creature—man— up the rifle, and ran. Knowlton, floundering who can carry light with him. ashore with a duck dangling by the neck Yet, among those Stygian shades, life from each fist, raced in his wake. moved. Misshapen ant-bears stalked slowly Another crash—a searing flash of light¬ about, their gluey tongues drooling out, in ning—a smashing deluge of rain—then search of ant-hills. Giant cats, hungry and Rand reached the hollow tree and plunged savage, hunted in ugly impatience. And into it. *In the same instant Knowlton down beside a little pool on a creek of the heard a startled yell and glimpsed some¬ Tigre Yacu, a man struggled dizzily to sit up. thing darting out of the hole; a thing that His first conscious impression was that seemed only a thin, vanishing streak, elbow- a tigre had snarled. He could not see that high from the ground. In mid-stride he beast, but some primitive instinct, inherited dropped both ducks and snatched his pistol perhaps from ape-like ancestors on whom from the holster. Then he hurled himself the terrible saber-toothed tiger had preyed into the dim tree-trunk. ages ago, told him it was only a few feet Struggling bodies plunged against him away, to his right. Moved by the primor¬ and spun him outside again. A sheet of dial impulse associated with that ancient rain lashed into his face, blinding and instinct, he reached above him for a branch choking him. Lightning flared anew, cast¬ to seize as his first move toward safety in ing a ghastly greenish glare through the the upper air. His hand hit solid wood. sudden darkness. By its weird flicker he At the same instant the invisible brute saw the fighting men reel about in the blur snarled again. of falling water, then pitch headlong back His head whirled, and he slumped down. into the hole. For a moment he lay supine, trying to Into that hole he leaped again. ' The light think. He had been fighting—storm had of storm winked out. Dimly he made out a flashed and crashed—something had struck man-tangle at his feet. As he strove to see which was his partner they heaved over Abruptly the menace of the present violently, knocking his legs from under him. knocked all thought of the past from his His pistol flew from his hand. Falling, he struggling brain. Hot, fetid breath poured grabbed fiercely at the man on top. against his bare right leg. A sniffing sound Then, before he knew whom he had seized, came to his ears. He yanked the leg back, above them sounded a straining, creaking and just in time; for great claws hooked into groan of wood. The ground rose under his breeches, scraping the skin. them. A rending crack—a rushing sound— Heaving himself over, he felt the cloth a tremendous blow. Then blackness and give and heard it rip. Then he caught the silence. malevolent gleam of a big eye. CHAPTER VII Tardily, something told him he was armed. His right hand slid to his thigh, THE CLAWS OF THE TIGRE yanked a flat pistol from a holster—and at that instant the huge paw reached for him NIGHT engulfed the jungle in such again. blackness as only the jungle knows. The claws sank with a cruel grip into his The vast sea of tree and bush and vine, flesh. Again glimmered the eye. He shoved by day almost impenetrable but neverthe¬ his weapon forward and fired. less composed of myriads of separate parts, Crash-crash-crash-crash! Four shots shat¬ now was a solid bulk. Far above it the tered the night. Tiger River 75

The claws bit deeper in a convulsive “Gee, I dunno yet where he’s at,” came spasm. Squirming with pain, he struck at Tim’s puzzled tones. “Sounded right them with his pistol. The barrel hit some¬ yonder— Huh! Lookit the tree down! thing hard, unyielding, and the weapon was He must be under that. Hey, Dave, old nearly knocked from, his grip. With an feller! Are ye all right? Where’s looey? inarticulate growl he dropped it and at¬ That ruddy tiger didn’t git him, did he? tacked the clutching paw with both hands. Gosh, lookit this—another tiger! Under Though it clung to its hold, that paw now the tree here, dead as a herrin’!” was motionless. In a wrenching struggle The torch-light shone brightly now be¬ he tore its hooks loose and threw it aside. yond the hole. Rand spoke again. Then he scratched around him in a mad “In here, fellows. Penned up in a little effort to recover his gun. One hand hit it coop. Can’t stand up or get out. Merry and closed around it. At once he lurched must be here too—I’m sort of woozy yet. up. Got knocked cold awhile ago. Pass in a A cruel blow on the head downed him. fight.” He struck on something softer than earth, “ Bet yer life, ol’-timer! We’ll git ye loose slid down it a little, dropped a hand on it. in no time. Jest a minute, till we yank this His dazed brain told him it -was flesh, warm cat out o’ here.” human flesh. Another hole opened, lower down, as the Another snarl beyond him! Then a dead paw was pulled out from the opening hoarse, harsh roar of rage. Would that through which it had reached the impris¬ tigre never die? It sounded more malignant, oned man. Then into the upper hole came more powerful than ever. Pistol shoved a torch and a fist. forward, hair bristling, he settled forward “Here y’are, Davey. Ye ain’t busted up, on his knees and awaited attack. He could are ye? Good! Then lookit looey, if he’s not. see the thing; he must hold his fire there with ye. How’s he?” Rand snatched the torch, turned on his “It was here, amigos. I can not have it knees, and looked down. Just beyond him wrong— Hah! What is that? Carcoljolesf lay the former lieutenant. His blond hair The tigre himself!” was blond no more, but a dull red. From The voice struck across the black void under him protruded the naked legs and with startling suddenness. With it came lower trunk of another man whose head and light. With both voice and light came a shoulders seemed to be hidden beyond louder snarl from the unseen beast. Knowlton’s body. Both were motionless. “Yeah. Let the ruddy mutt have it!” Starting up to lift his comrade, Rand Rifle reports split the air before the struck his head once more against the solid second voice ceased; sharp cracks merging obstacle above. The blow dropped him with a blunter shock of exploding gun¬ back to his knees. Pressing one hand to his powder; two high-velocity guns and an old- sore scalp, he took his first look about his fashioned .44 pouring out a ragged volley. prison, seeking a way out. Silence followed. He had spoken more truly than he knew After a tense pause the first voice spoke. when, he said he was penned in a coop. “Dead, I think. Butit is best to be sure.” Around him rose the encompassing shell of The black powder smashed out for a the big old tree, now uprooted and thrown second time. Another pause. back prone. Over him was the broken butt, “Si. Dead, comrades. And now if we and beyond him were great fang-splinters, can find the one whose gun we heard— driven into the torn earth. The tree Senores! Knowlton! Rand!” strained too far by the storm-wind, had “Hey, Dave! Looey! For the love o’ broken across its hollow base, collapsed on Mike make a noise!” itself, ripped its own stump loose and The crouching man, who still could not shoved it back, then folded and closed like see his rescuers, shouted hoarsely. the broken halves of an enormous oyster- “Here! Come closer! This is Dave!” shell. Within the cavity the three men Sounds of movement began. The light were imprisoned. increased. Rand, peering about, found him¬ All this he saw in one slow sweep of the self walied in. The light shone at a jagged eyes. Then he hunched forward and pulled hole beyond him, a scant foot wide. at Knowlton, who seemed wedged among 76 Adventure gigantic slivers. He could not move him. searching glance, nodded and turned back But he could, and did, determine that he to the hole. Rand rolled over, crept on was alive and, though senseless and bleeding hands and knees to Knowlton’s side, and from a split scalp, not fatally hurt. saw the blue eyes flicker open and stare up¬ ward. Tim reached to his hip, produced a BTHE smoke of the torch choked flask, uncorked it and held it to the blond- him. Hastily he pivoted about and bearded mouth. The lieutenant promptly pushed it out through the hole. swallowed a mouthful of anisado, coughed, “Merry’s pinned down,” he told the anx¬ grinned, and struggled up. ious men outside. “Got a cut head, and “Not so fast, looey,” chuckled Tim. knocked out, but seems all right otherwise. “Ye’re showin’ too much speed for yer own Got an ax or something? Maybe I can cut good—I was goin’ to feed ye another shot him loose.” o’ booze. If ye want it, take it quick or ye “Got both axes,” Tim informed him, won’t git it.” shoving one through. “We been lookin’ all “Not now,” mumbled the blond man. over the lot for ye, and we come prepared “Gee, my head aches! Hello, Dave. What’s for anything. Here’s the li’l electric flash, all the row?” too. Slide the switch away over and she’ll “Row’s all over, Merry. Cap is bringing bum steady. We’ll cut this hole bigger out the chap we found in the tree. Tree while yfi git looey clear. How’d ye ever busted and fell on us while we were waltzing git in this trap anyways?” around in there. Guess the other fellow got Rand wasted no time in explanation just busted too.” then. Wedging the electric torch in a crack, “He did,” McKay’s voice corroborated. he commenced the difficult task of cutting “Who was he?” Knowlton free. So scant was his head-room Tim and Jose, who until now had known that he had to hold the short-handled ax nothing of another prisoner of the tree, by the back of the blade and make mere voiced their amazement as they saw what pecks at the long wood-fangs. But the edge the captain had hauled forth. Rand and was keen, and after steady, careful work Knowlton, too, got to their feet and stared he managed to liberate his companion. downward. In the wavering torch-light the By that time the hole behind had been five men stood in silent contemplation of the enlarged enough to give easy ingress or exit. sixth. As he passed back the ax McKay ordered He was a muscular man of medium him to come out. But he turned back to stature, black-haired, strong-faced, light¬ Knowlton. Forthwith iron hands gripped skinned,naked exceptfora loin-clout of dark- his feet, and he was hauled backward out red cloth and a necklace of tiger-claws—a into the air. man whose solid frame indicated a strength “I said to come out,” clipped McKay. that would make him an ugly antagonist “You’re done up. I’ll get Merry.” in hand-to-hand combat. But he never And, shoving aside both Tim and Jose, would fight again. His head lay slanting the captain crawled into the cavity. Rand, to one side, and his throat was torn wide feeling suddenly weak, sprawled where he open. had been left. “Big splinter killed him,” vouchsafed “Humph! Who’s this fellow?” came Mc¬ McKay. “It’s in the tree there. I had to Kay’s muffled voice from the hole. pull him off it.” Rand made no answer, and the captain “Find his bow there too?” queried Rand. did not spend time in examining the man he “Didn’t notice it. Found a couple of had found under Knowlton. He emerged arrows, though, and the little twenty-two feet first, dragging the limp form of the gun. Found a side-arm too. Yours, lieutenant. Merry?” “Glory be!” blurted Tim after a close He extended a service pistol. Knowlton, look and a hurried examination. “He’s all after touching his fingers to his empty here. Scratched up some and leakin’ on top, holster, took it with a nod of thanks. but only asleep. Attaboy, Hozy! Dump it “Well, the bow must be there, unless it on his head.” got knocked outside,” Rand asserted. “He Jose, who had brought a hatful of water, was there when I dived in out of the storm. dumped it as requested. McKay, after a Knew we were coming, too, and didn’t care Tiger River 77 for our company. Had his arrow drawn, “Hm. Female,” he muttered. “Leave it and let go as soon as I popped in. Guess to the female to claw a man when he’s out he shot a shade too soon—arrow zipped of luck.” past my chest and missed. I jumped him. Turning, he stepped aside a few feet and Merry pranced in and fell all over us. Then found the other brute, a powerful male. the world came to an end.’’ This also he carried to the hole and dropped The others nodded. Jose sank on one beside its mate. Picking up Knowlton’s knee and studied the dead man. little rifle and Rand’s quiver of arrows—the “An Indian, amigos, though light of skin,” bow was broken and useless—he returned was his judgment. “A Jivero, perhaps; but to the water, finding the two hunters bathed I think he is a Yameo—one of the white and being temporarily bandaged with hand¬ Indians. This is Yameo country. A lone kerchiefs. hunter. But his people can not be far off.” “Did you babes in the woods get any Heads lifted and eyes searched the gloom. game to pay us for our work?” he demanded. To all except Knowlton, who had been un¬ “Couple of huananas. Beauties, too,” conscious at the time, came realization that Knowlton replied. “Ought to be right over the rule against loud gunfire had been shat¬ back of you somewhere. I dropped them.” tered, and that those reports might have “And the cats ate them,” Jose added. reached, hostile ears. But there was little “I saw feathers scattered around in the chance that any searching party would seek bush there.” the gunmen before dawn, and dawn was “A swell pair o’ hunters ye are,” chaffed fully eight hours off. Tim. “Kill a couple o’ bananas—I mean “We can stow him away out of sight,” huananners—and then let the cats git ’em. said McKay, jerking his head toward the Next time ye can stay to home and let some¬ tree. “But first, what about that leg of body hunt that can bring in the bacon. yours, Dave? Looks bad. Jam it?” Come on, le’s git back to camp and open a “No. Cat tried to haul me out where can or somethin’. We been thrashin’ round he could get at me.” And Rand briefly lookin’ for you guys when we’d oughter been related his experiences in the tree. eatin’. Hep, hep—left oblique to the guard¬ “Holy jumpin’ Jehoshaphat!” rumbled house, march!” Tim. “Ye sure had a reg’lar time of it, The torches moved. In squad column the feller! Luck’s with ye, I’ll say. Ye had little band filed slowly away into the in¬ about one chance in a million o’ livin’ scrutable gloom. The lights faded out, and through that tree-smash, and if ye hadn’t the jungle night again brooded over the woke up when ye did and had yer gat little spot where the gun-bearing intruders handy—oof! Better wash yer leg right now, had violated its solitude. before ye git blood-poison.” On the black bosom of the placid little “Right,” McKay seconded. “Both of lagoon the big stars shone, mirrored upward you fellows clean up before we start back in a frame of reflected tree-tops. On the to camp. Jose, help Dave. Tim, give trampled shore, where sunlight would reveal Merry a head-wash. I’ll attend to this them to the first Indian eyes to scan the chap.” mud, were the imprints of white men’s Stooping, he gripped the dead man and boots. Those leather-heeled tracks con¬ dragged him back to the tree. There he verged at the cavity in the shattered butt shoved him into the cavity where he had of the prone tree. And there, in a crude died. Glancing around, he saw the dead tomb bearing the fresh marks of white men’s tigre which had attacked Rand. With a axes, a savage son of the jungle who had grim smile he lifted it and laid it against died fighting white men lay waiting, guarded the opening. •" by two bullet-tom tigres of the Tigre Yacu. TO BE CONTINUED TIGER. RIVER BY AR.THUR- O FRIEL

CHAPTER VIII

Down beside a little creek men stirred, bean as big as me fist and gosh knows how peered at their insect-bars, yawned, many stitches in yer scalp. Lay down again stretched, and sat up in their hammocks. like good dogs.” From one of them sounded a muffled grunt Knowlton scowled with official severity, of pain, instantly subdued. forgetful of the fact that the frown was “How’s the leg, Dave?” asked Knowlton, hidden under his bandages. protruding a white-swathed head. “Sergeant Ryan, you’re reduced to the "Tiger River," copyright, 1922, by Arthur O. Friel. 94 Tiger River 95 ranks and fined one drink of hooch for nothin’ happened but shootin’ three cats insolence—” he began. and gittin’ looey and Dave out o’ the hole. “Sssst! Hush; teniente!” Jose cut in. Where’s all them head-hunters and the His hawk face was shoved forward. His thing that bites off fellers’ toes and makes thunderous gun had slid into his hand. All ’em batty? Where’s the bags o’ gold? All froze into postures of listening. Except we git out o’ this here, now, Tiger River is for the animal noises, no sound came to bug-bites, seems like.” them save the monotonous drip of moisture “Well, you’re getting plenty of them, in the dank jungle round about. aren’t you?” countered Knowlton. “One “Something moved yonder,” the Peru¬ thing at a time. Trouble with you is that vian muttered, twitching his head. “An you’re sore because you missed getting into animal sneaking past, perhaps. It is too that tree-racket of ours.” early for Indians to be moving. But not “Oh, yeah. And ye’re so sore ye can’t see too early for us to move.” straight because ye did git into it. All the With which he arose, rolled his hammock, same, I would like to git a li’l action out o’ and pitched it into his canoe. The others, this trip. I wasn’t never brought up to push with wary glances at the murky shadows, a paddle for nothin’. When do we git to followed his example. In less than a minute the gold?” the little palm hut was bare. “Wouldn’t be a bad idea to pan a little But none embarked. Men must eat, and dirt before long and see what we get,” Tim voiced the general sentiment when he suggested Rand. “Water’s pretty shallow growled: now, and we’re well up.” “By cripes, I’m goin’ to have me coffee McKay nodded. before I hit the river, and have it hot. Any “Been thinking of that,” he conceded. war-whoops that want to mix it with me “Might give us some idea of what’s ahead.” before I git ready to go can come a-runnin’, Jose, the real source of the expedition, poison arrers and all.” said nothing, though he heard all. His eyes So, with ears alert but no haste, the five kept plumbing the slowly clearing shores. made their morning meal by the aid of Gradually his strokes lengthened as the the faithful sindicaspi wood, which burned mist rolled upward, and the others auto¬ smokily in the heavy air but did its duty. matically adapted their pace to his. At When the frugal meal was finished all hands length the fog burned away completely, and rolled the usual cigarets and squatted beside the canoes swung into their regular speed. the coals until the butts scorched their hard¬ For several hours they forged on, silent ened fingers. But there was no more ban¬ as usual, hot as usual, bitten as usual by ter, and each man’s gun stood within elbow- the insect swarms. Along the bank little length of him. life showed—macaws, quarrelsome toucans, Then, when remaining longer would have surly male cotomonos which howled monkey been mere bravado, they moved into the execrations at the intruders while the females canoes and pushed away. Rand limped scurried away through the branches, carry¬ while getting aboard, and in his dugout ing their young clinging on their backs. he sat on some supplies, his torn leg eased Then on the quiet surface appeared bubbles, out in front of him. Knowlton gave no floating down from ahead; and to the ears sign of feeling less energetic than usual. of the canoemen came a soft, elusive sound In silence the small flotilla slipped away like wind among high leaves. toward the misty river. “Ah! We approach a mal-paso—a rapid,” Once more on the wider water, they found Jose announced. “Do you not hear the the fog still too thick for any but slow travel. water, amigos? It now is low and quiet; but It was thinning, and patches of it wavered we soon shall reach rocks.” and almost dissolved, giving short views of The mechanical swing of the paddles one or the other of the banks; but the great quickened a bit. Rocks! For many long body of it clung stubbornly to the ground. days the voyagers from the Andes had seen Stroking lazily, they progressed gradually not the tiniest stone—nothing but clay upstream, awaiting the dissolution of the banks and the everlasting walls of tree and murk. Tim found time and inclination for bush. Now the arrival at rock-country a little grumbling. meant harder work and slower progress, but “Pretty slow so far,” he declared. “Ain’t it also meant that the mysterious Cordillera 96 Adventure del Pastassa, offshoot of the precious Llan- care. His first enthusiasm oozed away. ganati, was creeping nearer to them. And After giving the last pan a couple of tilts up there to the northwest might be—what? and a sour survey he desisted without trying The dream-city of El Dorado? The fabulous to wash it. Mother Lode of all gold?. Who knew? “Yeah, she’s got to come acrost better’n Save one man whose brain was twisted, this or I won’t never tell nobody she’s a none had ever come back to tell. friend o’ mine,” he asserted, clawing out Peering over-side for the first time in some muddy gravel. “If only these^dirty hours, McKay saw gravel on the bottom. li’l stones was somethin’ besides dirt-” His iron face lightened a little, and he put another pound of power on his paddle. HE STOPPED, his mouth open. But when the rocks appeared the eager His red lashes lifted, and his eyes faces of the North Americans fell. Accus¬ seemed to bulge. Very carefully he tomed to the fierce mal-pasos and the gorged set the pan down on the nearest rock. With pongos of the upper Maranon, they had un¬ the fingers of his free hand he rubbed the consciously looked for a chasm, even though “dirty li’l stones” in his cupped palm small. The obstacles now before them could against one another. Then he picked one hardly be-dignified by the name of “bad- out and grated it' along the boulder beside pass.” They were only a few boulders at a bend, protruding above the surface like “Ho-lee jum-pin’ Jee-hosh—” he began. dingy, worn-down molars, visible only be¬ Then, mute, he held up the stone. From cause of the low stage of the water. Yet its scraped side flashed a yellow gleam. they were rocks, real rocks, the farthest out¬ “Nugget!” barked Knowlton. posts of the host of mountain-fragments With sudden energy Tim scraped his find waiting beyond. And, despite their insig¬ again, then scrubbed it under water with nificance, the treasure-hunters smiled at a hard thumb-ball. When he again held it them and at the sleepily murmuring water aloft it shone like a gilt ball. flowing down between them. “Sure as the Kaiser got crazy, ’tis a nug¬ “Here’s where you can exercise your get!” he exulted. “Mud stuck to it and manly right arm, Tim, and pan some gold,” camouflaged it. Weighs a couple ounces, Knowlton chaffed. “Just hop over with easy. Forty dollars, gents—eight bucks a shovel and dig down to bed-rock. We’ll apiece for you guys that ain’t panned get lunch.” nothin’ but me. Now le’s see ye do a lick “Huh! I’d dig half-way to China before or two o’ work for yerselves. Come on in, I’d hit bed-rock in this here mud country. the water’s fine. Beat ol’ Timmy Ryan if ye But],I’ll pan her once anyways, jest to see can! Oh, you li’l yeller baby!” what’s the color.” His exuberant challenge met with instant And, when the canoes had been forced response. Into the river splashed his com¬ beyond the barrier, he did. With a dexterity panions, Theedless of hunger and of recent betokening much practise somewhere far¬ injuries from tiger-claw and falling tree. ther west, he swirled the water and the min¬ They brought up fistfuls of gravel which had gled mud and gravel in his pan until he was lodged around the boulders, and with min¬ down to the dregs. ute care inspected each one. Tim, carefully “Begorry, it’s here!” he exploded. buttoning his nugget in a pocket after “Nothin’ much—jest a few flakes—but it’s assuring himself that the pocket had no hole color! Free gold, gents! Lookit here!” in it, fell to scraping and rubbing each of Eager heads clustered over his pan. For the little stones which had suddenly be¬ a moment there was silence, come potential treasures. i “Uh-huh,” commented McKay. “Pretty One by one, however, he cast them’away. poor showing, though.” The whole pan received a rigid inspection, “True for ye, cap. But mebbe further up but no glimmer of yellow showed. He we’ll hit the real stuff. This here bed is all brought up another panful from the same gummed up with mud. I’ll give her another spot where he had caught the nugget. This, whirl, jest for luck.” too, yielded no result. His luck seemed not to improve, however, At length the dripping company ceased though he scooped up several more pans its labors, empty-handed. from below and worked them with extreme “Guess you’re the only lucky one in the Tiger River 97

crowd, Tim,” admitted Knowlton. “Let’s in build, and in expression they might have see that nugget.” been brothers of the dead man left last night Tenderly Tim drew it out and handed it in the tree-butt tomb beside the black lagoon. Motionless from surprize for an instant, “Don’t drop it, for the love o’ Mike,” he the men in the water then began reaching adjured. “If she once gits back in the muck stealthily toward their wet pistols. she’s gone. Water’s all riled up.” “Altol” snapped a sharp voice behind With a nod, the lieutenant studied the them. “Lift those hands or you die!” chunk of metal. Then he passed it to McKay. “No wonder we didn’t find any more,” he said. “That nugget never rolled down this

“Huh? Oh, I s’pose it rained down last night, then, or mebbe it fell off one o’ these here trees,” jeered the red man. “It never came down in the water,” in¬ sisted the other. “It’s too rough. Water would wear it smooth. Look at the stones around here—even these big ones are smoothed off. Not a sharp edge on any of

“Right,” concurred McKay. “It’s well rounded, but not smooth. You can feel the edges, and see them too.” “Um. Begorry, ye’re right, cap. But how’d she git here—one lonesome nugget like that? ’Tain’t right.” All stared at it, groping for a solution. Presently Knowlton laughed: “Old Dame Fortune left it here for us, maybe, to encourage us. Sort of a come-on stunt, eh? Like a girl dropping her hand¬ kerchief on the sidewalk when you look good to her. She’s a flirty old dame, is Lady The five heads jerked around. On the Fortune.” other bank they beheld eight more of the “Si,” grinned Jose. “But you are for¬ white Indians. These held no bows. In¬ getting Rafael Gonzales, comrades. It may stead, seven of them squinted down the have been he, not the old lady, who dropped barrels of big-bored rifles The eighth, this here. It is less than a month since he standing a little to the rear, had a similar returned to Iquitos, as I have told you, with rifle but was not aiming it. His face had his bag of gold. Is it not quite likely that he a markedly Spanish cast. lost this, and other nuggets as well, on his The hands of the North Americans poised outward trail?” exactly where they were. The situation “Guess you’ve hit the only sensible an¬ was utterly hopeless. But Captain McKay’s swer,” agreed Rand. “Come on, let’s eat.” voice, when he replied, was as cold and calm The close-drawn knot of men drew apart as if he held the power. and turned toward shore. With a sudden “If we do not die here we die hereafter. gulp Tim halted short. His mates froze. When and how?” Armed Indians confronted them. Across the mouth of the Spanish-Indian There on the bank, arrows drawn back twitched a fleeting smile: and aimed with deadly accuracy at each “You are cool. Die now if you will. All white man’s breast, stood a dozen hard- men die. If you do not die here you may faced savages. Their skins were light, their five long. Strong men live.” hair black and cut straight across the brow, “Live through what? Torture?” their bodies naked save for tooth-and-claw “No torture. We kill swiftly. Among us necklaces and red loin-cloths. In stature, a man is all alive or all dead.” 98 Adventure

! McKay glanced once at the bowmen, amination given the bolt-actions afterward, running his keen gaze along their hard eyes. the captives silently raged over the careless¬ He looked back at the seven riflemen and ness in leaving their rifles while they clawed the Spanish-speaking leader. in the mud for gold. The wrath of Jose “No good, boys,” he said quietly. “We was not quite silent. haven’t a chance. Better surrender.” “Carramba!” he gritted in an undertone. His hands rose. Reluctantly his com¬ “Caught like the fools we are! Snared by panions followed his example. Turning sneaking snakes of Indios while we snatched about, the captain waded across to the at stones! I, Jose Martinez, trapped like shore where the leader stood. In his wake a child! Si, wash those guns, you measles- swashed the others, still covered from both fearing man-killers! I hope you catch a banks. Up on the land they went, and hundred sicknesses!” halted. Forgotten was his recent statement that “We live on,” said McKay, smiling he would rather fall prey to savages than bleakly. “Now what?” to his own countrymen; forgotten the fact The leader grunted something. The that these wild men had spared his life, at riflemen closed in. Five put their gun- least for the time. Hisjiride in his ability muzzles against the abdomens of their cap¬ to protect himself was cut to the quick, and tives. -The other two passed behind the in the same hissing monotone he heaped white men. vitriolic maledictions on his captors. “Now you will put the hands down. Be¬ The two guards stirred, scowling at him hind your backs.” and moving their gun-muzzles into line As the order was obeyed the two spare with his stomach. riflemen lashed the wrists of each prisoner “Let up, Jose,” muttered Knowlton. tightly with fiber cord. In less than two “We all feel the same way, but mum’s the minutes all were securely bound. Their word. Less talk and more thinking may weapons were left in their sheaths. pull us out of the hole yet.” “Now what?” demanded McKay again. The outlaw’s teeth clicked, and he said no The evanescent smile fled once more more, though his eyes still smouldered. across the Spanish face. Then came a call from the Spanish-speaking “Now we walk. One of you shall die. leader. The others—quien sabe?” “What is here?” He pointed downward at one of the sealed CHAPTER IX tins. Baffled by the heavy solder, neither he nor his men had been able to open them. A LIFE FOE A LIFE “Open it if you dare,” snarled Jose. “Those boxes are full of diseases which kill LUMLY the pinioned men stood on the quicker than the bite of a snake.” bank and watched their captors gather The effect of the retort was remarkable. around the canoes. Despite the firmness of Every man of the Indians jumped back their bonds—every one of which had been from those harmless tins as if they truly sharply inspected by the leader of the gang were filled with virulent death. Several, —they still were guarded by two riflemen, who had handled the containers, leaped into -one of whom stood at each end of the line, the river again and frantically scrubbed ready to shoot any prisoner making a sud¬ their hands. den move. The other gun-bearers had The outlaw broke into a jeering laugh. waded across the river. Maddened, the leader of the tribesmen Now, under direction of the leader, half plunged in and came straight for him, the a dozen of the wild men busied themselves rest following close. Their glittering eyes in thoroughly washing every piece of the and hard mouths spoke death to the cap¬ white men’s equipment. The rifles, the tives. axes, the clothing, the bags and heavy tins, “Halt!” snapped McKay. “Do you kill the cooking and mining utensils—every¬ a man for warning you? He has done you thing was plunged into the river, swashed great service. The diseases can not harm about 'and scrubbed by rough fingers, then you unless you let them out. Now that he thrown upward on the shore. Watching the has told you, you will not let them out.” immersion of the guns and the puzzled ex¬ His quick wit saved his party. The Tiger River 99

Indians, though set to kill, glanced at their were a broad highway. The bound men leader. That leader stared at McKay’s following them found themselves hard put inscrutable face. to it to maintain the speed set by the pace¬ “You have promised that only one shall makers, for their walking wind had been die,” added McKay. “Is your tongue shortened by many days of river travel. forked?” Rand, limping along on torn leg-muscles, The other’s gaze swerved to his own men found the going doubly hard. But he set and came back. his teeth and strove to keep up. “My tongue is straight,” he declared. “What I have said shall be.” jgjpigl IT WAS the commander of the He gave a sign to his men. Their weapons fflNHV party who gave the word to slow sank. He spoke, with a backward jerk of B /' 1 down. He trod close at Rand’s the head. They turned slowly, went back heels, and he saw the lameness of the green- into the water, and began bringing across eyed man. Yet he made no effort to ease the equipment—all except the tins, which the prisoner’s difficulty until he himself felt they avoided. the consequences of it. “You are a good leader,” McKay com¬ The injured leg, stiff and sore, failed to plimented. “Your men obey.” clear a projecting root, and Rand stumbled A touch of cruel pride flitted across the and fell. The Indian behind tripped over other’s face. him and bumped his head sharply against “They know it is best to obey,” was the a tree. He was up instantly, glaring at the significant retort. prostrate man and at the tree he had hit; but With which he turned his back to the he realized that the blame rested not on the prisoners and watched the transportation of prisoner but on the pace at which they were the loot. moving. He snapped something at the The Scot’s compliment had been no guiding pair, who had continued on. They flattery. The sinewy white Indian was a stopped. good commander. He handled his followers The leader glowered suspiciously at almost as if he were an American or a Rand’s leg, as if he thought the prisoner European, instead of a savage son of the to be malingering; for Rand now wore his jungle; and, despite their position, the ex¬ boots, concealing the bandages around the soldiers watched with appreciative eyes. limb. “Spanish blood in this fellow,” thought “What ails the leg?” he demanded. “The McKay. “It sticks out all over him. Won¬ forest is no place for the lame.” der if Jose’s tale was right, and this chap’s “The claws of a tigre,” panted Rand, still descended from Spanish stock. Wonder prone and snatching a moment’s rest. who they all are, anyhow. Wonder why A quick light flickered in the hard eyes. we’re not killed at once. Oh, well, we may “When did the claws of the tigre strike?” learn.” “Last night.” Aloud he asked: A short nod and a tightening of the mouth “Who are you? Yameos?” followed. Roughly he hauled Rand to his “Men of file forest,” came the curt an¬ feet. To the pair ahead he grunted briefly. swer. “Now walk.” They resumed their advance, but at a slower He tilted his head to the left, indicating pace. Wondering what was in the leader’s the direction. The captives turned down¬ mind, but thankful for slower progress, stream. A couple of Indians glided in front Rand went on. of them and led the way. Behind the ad¬ For perhaps two hours the march con¬ venturers the main body closed in, walking tinued without a halt. Glancing from time in file, carrying the plunder from the canoes. to time at the sun-slanted shadows, the Almost at once thfe five found themselves captives observed that they were working in a path. A narrow, twisting trail through steadily southward. Now and then they the forest, it was, and scarcely visible even caught gleams of water at their left, where to a man following it. But it was a path, the river wound close to the path and then perhaps a rod back from the edge of the veered off again. At length, at a cool little bank, where the voyagers had supposed the brook, the whole band stopped to drink. bush to be utterly trackless; and along it the Here McKay asked a question which had guiding pair slipped ahead as fast as if it been puzzling him for some time. IOO Adventure

“Where do you get your guns?” big'enough to hold a hundred people, that it “From men who came here before you,” looked much more new than the mud huts was the straightforward answer. “We use beyond, and that the warriors before it them only for war. The yellow-things-that- showed signs of travel. Their faces lit up kill are few. From those men I learned the as they saw the captives, and they grunted tongue you speak. From you we shall learn as if they now saw something for which they how to use these new guns—before you go.” had been hunting. The captain, used to As he spoke he frowned down at McKay’s watching faces, guessed that this party also own rifle, which he held in one hand. had been out beating the bush in a search McKay had seen him trying to pull back for strangers. the bolt, without first lifting it. So far as Almost up to the door the captors and the Indian was concerned, the gun was captives went. Then the guides stopped. locked tight. The captain did not enlighten The prisoners halted. The Indians be¬ him regarding the method of working a bolt hind spread out and surrounded them in a action. half-horseshoe, open end toward the door. “Before we go where?” he demanded. Through that door, without awaiting a sum¬ “Where the other men went.” mons, now came a man whom the newcom¬ His eyee strayed to Tim, red-bearded, ers recognized as the chief. red-headed. His shadowy smile flitted Slightly taller than his men, past middle across his mouth and was gone. Abruptly age, harsh of face, with brown eyes burning he arose and gave the sign to move on. like tawny coals in deep sockets, he was a As they resumed their march, a chill crept grim figure. In his thick black hair, un¬ up the backs of the five. All had seen that blanched by any sign of gray, parrot- brief stare at red Tim and the slight smile plumes rose as his crown of rank. Like his that went with it. All knew this man had men, he wore a necklace of tiger-claws; but, said one of them should die. And all re¬ unlike them, he had also arm-bands of big called the grim jest of Jose, made days fang-teeth, and—a hair girdle. before; that Tim’s hair would be braided Wide and thick and black was that sinis¬ into the hair-belt of the Jivero who killed ter cincture, reaching from the waist to the him. That careless joke now loomed as a loins. In it gleamed no lighter shade; no prophecy. brown, no gold, no red. But every man of Yet on the heels of this thought came the five saw that the hollow eyes of the ruler, another—not one of their captors wore a gir¬ after passing along their faces, returned to dle of human hair. They might not be the blond beard of Knowlton and the glint¬ Jiveros. Their commander had promised ing red of Tim’s hair. life to four of them. And—they could only He said no word until the report of the march on, hoping for some miraculous capture was made. When the white Indian change of luck. holding McKay’s gun finished his tale he For another hour or more no word was pointed at Rand. The chief followed th’e spoken. The occasional sidelong glances of gesture, looked down at the lame man’s the captives showed them that they had boots, lifted his gaze and somberly studied left the river, for no water-gleam now came the impassive face of the former Raposa. to their eyes. At length they did meet Then he spoke. water again, but it was a creek, not the river. In a tone low but harsh as his face he Up along this they filed for a couple of hun¬ ground out a curt sentence. Two men went dred yards. Then they debouched into a to one of the little mud huts. Immediately clearing. they came out again, bearing between them An oval-shaped house of up-and-down a pole litter on which lay a rigid figure cov¬ logs, thickly thatched with palm; a knot of ered with big leaves. armed men standing before its door; several Straight up to the prisoners they came. small mud huts around it; a plantation at On the ground before them they put the the rear, with women at work—these were litter down. With a few swift motions they the first impressions of the white men. stripped the leaves from the still form. McKay, striding at the head of his unfortu¬ The five looked down at the dead face and nate company and bulking tall over the heads the torn throat of the wild man who had of the two guides, noted three more things fallen fighting in the hollow tree. as they neared the big house—that it was For a moment there was utter stillness. Tiger River IOI

Then the whites, looking up, found the “It is mine!” hoarsely disputed Jose. “I chief’s eyes boring into their faces. Abrupt¬ am but an outlaw—let me-” ly he spoke again. The Spanish-speaking “You both shut up!” growled Knowlton. leader repeated his words in the language “I was there and you guys weren’t-” which the prisoners could understand. Rand cut short the tragic argument. He “You have killed this man of mine. You strode across the body, limped up to the have torn the throat of a hunter of my tribe chief, and nodded. The chief nodded in and let out his spirit. For that you all response. The Indian directness of the should die. But there is other use for you. move went straight to his mind, and the So you shall live to pull the wheel. All but steady green eyes convinced him that here the man who killed my warrior. That man was the right man. dies. Who is he?” Once more he spoke in the same harsh McKay answered. monotone. As before, the interpreter trans¬ “The great chief has it wrong. This man lated: was killed by a tree splintered by storm. “The sun of today sinks. Those who live We took him off the splinter. We laid him shall see more suns rise. This man shall see back in the tree where no tigre should de¬ one sun. While the stars shine you shall stroy him. We left two dead tigres to guard stay there.” him. Let the chief blame the storm.” The chief pointed to one of the mud hov¬ The hard mouth of the chief only grew els. Without another word he went back into the big house. “The storm harms us not. You men have Forthwith the five were herded to the killed my hunter. One of you must go down designated hut. At its entrance the leader his trail and pay him for his life. One goes halted them. At a word from him each or all go.” man’s belt was unbuckled and, with its His eyes dwelt on Rand, whose tiger- weapons dangling from it, taken away. clawed leg had been reported to him. Then Then, still bound, they were shoved into the they shifted to Tim. Plainly he believed dank interior. Rand to be the man most implicated in the Leaving four warriors on guard outside death of his subject. Yet he obviously cov¬ the door, the rest went back to the tribe- eted the red man’s hair, and hoped he house and busied themselves carrying in the might be the guilty one. loot. Until it was all transported, the dead “You know the man who killed,” he man lay stark and still on the ground. Then rasped. “Who is the man?” two men grasped the litter and carried it For a moment there was silence. The away toward the rear of the place. three soldiers, who had fronted death many “Thought so,” nodded McKay, who had times on another continent; the outlaw, who been coolly watching. “They found that lived by his own deadliness; the former Wild fellow early and saved him for a third- Dog of the Javary jungle, who had roved degree stunt. Sent one gang up-river and for years among violent endings of life—all the other down. They traveled fast, and the searched the relentless visage of the chief. up-stream bunch caught us cold. The down¬ Through each man’s mind went the same river detachment got back just before we thought—that through the death of one the rest should live. After eyeing the guards, who stood sug¬ Moved by the same impulse, all stepped gestively ready, he turned and looked about forward. Like one man all answered— at the bare prison from which Rand was to “I!” go forth to death at the next sunrise. As CHAPTER X a place of confinement it was almost ideal, at least from the standpoint of the jailers; RED SPOTS for it had no windows, its roof was a solid sheet of sun-baked clay supported by pole "CpOR an instant every man of the five rafters, and there was no possible means of stood defiantly fronting the chief. exit except through the doorway, which Then each became aware of the fact that his could easily be blocked up and guarded. To comrades also had volunteered for death. men confined in it, however, it was a miser¬ “Git back!” Tim muttered. “I’ll take able hole—damp, c'ammy, unprovided with this on! Git-” either conveniences or necessities. No 102 Adventure hammocks, no water—nothing at all was in “If ye’d stayed where ye was, Dave, it except a small cracked clay jar in one ’stead o’ walkin' right up the chief’s stum- corner. mick, ye’d be safe now,” Tim asserted “I don’t think much of this town’s guest¬ morosely. “He wants this red mop o’ mine house,” remarked Knowlton, sourly survey¬ in his corset. Dang it, why didn’t ye keep ing the place. “And the things I’m thinkin’ about them “Why didn’t you keep quiet?” countered guys that put us here ain’t fit to eat,” Rand. “I’m the logical candidate anyway. seconded Tim. “Now we’re in the coop they I jumped that Indian in the tree. Merry might untie us, if nothin’ more. Me hands only fell on top of us, and you three weren’t are dead already from these ropes on me there at all. Besides, I haven’t any folks up home, and I’m crippled for a while with The others, with hands equally numb, this leg, and—well, I’m the goat. Now shut nodded. up. There’s no more to say.” “They may cut us loose later,” McKay Tim growlingly subsided. For some time encouraged. “If not, I’ll do it.” all sat wordless, moving only to ease their “Huh? How?” positions. Outside the guards stood watch¬ “Jack-knife. Got one here in my right ing steadily through the open doorway, and other tribesmen came, stood, stared, grunt¬ “Yeah? I got one too, but I dunno how ed among themselves, and went away. The to git to it with me hands tied like this.” sun-shadows, already long, slid faster and “Simple enough. One of you fellows get faster to the eastward as the earth rolled a couple of fingers into my pocket and fish toward darkness. Within the house the it out. We can open it somehow and cut dimness shaded into dusk. one man’s cords. Then he’ll free the rest At length Knowlton hitched forward, got of us.” to his knees, and heaved himself up. “Gosh, ye think of everything, don’t ye, “Guess I can get that knife when you’re cap? That’ll help a lot, and a smoke after¬ ready, Rod,” he said., “My hands aren’t wards will help a lot more. Then mebbe quite so numb now. I’ve been holding we can dope out some way to git clear o’ my wrists close together to ease the this place.” cords.” McKay made no answer to this. His “Wait for dark. We’re watched too glance strayed to Rand, who had sunk closely n'ow.” down against a wall and eased his aching The blond man began pacing up and leg out before him. Catching the look, down. After a few turns he approached the Rand smiled somberly. cracked pot, kicked it out where the light “This leg won’t hurt me tomorrow at this was a little better, and peered at it. time, Rod,” he said. “Ugh!” he grunted. “Dried blood!” Black scowls met his stoic jest. Think as He gave it one more kick, knocking it they might, none could see any possibility back to the wall. It struck sharply and of evading the executioner at dawn. But broke into chunks. One of them spun none would admit it. against Jose. The bushman glanced at it, “Por Dios, I would not be too sure of that, then bent and looked closely. Senor Dave,” protested Jose. “We have “Not blood,” he corrected. “It is too all night to work ourselves out of this place, red. This is an old pot of anatto dye, which even though they will bar the door. And they use to color their red loin-cloths.” if I can once get at the guards with cold Yawning, he got up and strode to the steel-” doorway. The guards drew together and He threw his head back and dropped his fronted him with weapons ready. jaw in grisly suggestion of a man with throat “Oh, do not fear, poor little ones,” sneered the outlaw. “I will not attack you But Rand only shook his head slightly —not yet. I want water. Water, you fools! and contemplated the opposite wall. One My throat is parched.” by one the others sank down beside him The Indians made no response. They and silently stared at the same wall, only watched uncomprehending. thinking, thinking, thinking—but seeing no “Agua!” roared Jose. “Water! You wood-heads, you rocks— Agual” Tiger River 103 From a group near the door of the big EIN LESS than half a minute the house came the leader of the gang which had floor was littered with severed cords, caught them. the Americans were rubbing their “Agual” yelled Jose again. “Water, and numbed hands together, and Jose’s knife food too! Will you starve us and choke us had vanished into its secret sheath. In with thirst? Agual Came!” another minute all were squatting in jungle The advancing Indian scowled at the style around the food and water. The bill imperious tone. But, after a gesture with of fare was fish, fruit, and meat—the first one finger, he grunted something to another two sweet and fresh, the meat offensive to man near by. The man went along the curv¬ both nose and palate. However, the meat ing wall of the tribe-house and barked some¬ went the way of the rest; and when Jose, thing at women near a rear door. Presently with an ironical bow to the guards, put the several women approached, bearing clay dishes outside the door they were bare. jars and platters. “I notice they keep speaking of a wheel,” Reaching the guards, they stopped and remarked Knowlton, when his cigaret was stared fearfully at the gaunt red-capped going. “Seems to be something unpleas- outlaw, who still stood scowling in the door¬ way. 'They were young and good-look¬ “I believe the old Spanish Inquisition had ing, as light-skinned as their men, clothed a wheel,” suggested McKay. only in short hip-bands of the red fiber- “Umph! Hope it’s nothing like that. cloth worn by the warriors; but Jose showed Besides, that fellow promised no torture. them scant courtesy. What do you make of it, Jose, and of these “Make haste!” he snarled. “We do not people?” want to look at you, but to eat and drink. “Of the wheel I make nothing, seiior. Come here!” I can not guess what it may be. Of the peo¬ Instead, they retreated. The Indian ple I make only this: They are not shrink- leader spoke curtly. They hastily put down ers of heads, unless the heads are kept in the their burdens and fled back to the rear door. big house, which may be possible. We have Men came forward and carried the victuals seen none. At the same time they have into the prison-pen. the Jivero custom of keeping the women “How are we to eat without hands?” apart from the men; there is a separate door demanded Jose. “Are you afraid to untie at the rear for them. They are like Jiveros us even when we are penned up and without in some ways, unlike them in others—keep¬ weapons? You are brave! Si!” ing us alive, for one. They have not been The commander scowled again. Then his here many months; their big house is too eyes fastened on something peeping over the new. If I could have my way they would Peruvian’s waist-band. In two steps and not be here one hour longer, but in-.” a clutch he had it—a hidden knife, whose “Yeah. Ye said a mouthful that time,” hilt had worked up into view unnoticed by contributed Tim. “But wishin’ don’t git its owner. us nothin’. If it did I’d wisht for one o’ Without a word he turned the chagrined them diseases they’re so scairt of. I bet if outlaw around and cut his bonds. Then, we broke out with smallpox or measles or with a sneering smile, he threw the knife somethin’ over night they’d knock down down and stalked out. the whole jungle runnin’ away from us. With a muttered oath, Jose worked his Hullo, here comes more trouble.” stiffened fingers a minute or two, then A dozen men were coming across the picked up the keen weapon in mingled stumpy clearing, bearing spears and short relief and rage—the rage due to the con¬ but heavy logs. The prisoners arose and temptuous manner in which the Indian had stood alert—Tim with fists shut, Jose with answered his taunt. Outside, the savage a hand on his knife, McKay and Rand feel¬ watched, then spoke: ing for clasp-knives in their pockets, Knowl¬ “Eat well. When you are on the wheel ton holding a jagged section of the shattered you will not feast. Use your knife to kill dye-pot. But none of the Indians entered yourself tonight if you will. It may be the hut. They dropped their logs at the better for you.” doorway. Two more came up with stout While Jose stared at him he strode While the prisoners watched, the poles 104 Adventure were set into deep holes at each side of the “All right. Your turn next.” doorway. The log sections were piled on The outlaw stepped to the corner, and one another, between poles and wall, across the tall captain stood guard at the slit. the entrance. In a few minutes the doorway For a while longer the white light in the was blocked by a solid wall of logs reaching corner burned. Then it winked out. from the ground to within a hand’s breadth “All set, Rod,” said Knowlton. “We can of the top, where a small opening was left to admit air. Then came sounds of men, The five stretched themselves on the floor. walking on the low roof, and the barrier The night wore on. To the ears of the which had hung outward a little against the squatting guards came the roars of prowling poles, was forced back tight against the tigres, the howls of cotomonos, the other door-edges as if drawn by ropes around the night noises of the tropic forest. But from uprights. the prison came no sound. “Crude jail door but mighty effective,” At length two of them arose, advanced commented Rand. “They’ve roped it back with a torch, narrowly inspected the log against a big tree just behind here. It would wall, listened, passed around the house, take us a week to break out.” looked at the roof, listened again at the door. As if in answer, through the air-hole came At that moment came a dread sound from the warning voice of the Spanish-speaking within—groans of a man in deadly pain and Indian. sickness. Followed other voices and a sound “Men watch through the night. They of water being poured. Then, except for kill if this wall moves.” more groans, all was still. No answer came from the prisoners, who The pair stared soberly at each other. now stood in dense gloom. Voices grunted Then they slipped back to the fire and told outside, and a whiff of smoke drifted in. their mates. None went near the door again. Almost at once the last sunlight vanished All watched it and listened. from the farther jungle. The night noise Came a babbling voice, broken by louder of animals and frogs broke out. Through groans and piteous appeals for water. the air-hole a yellowish light glimmered and Presently it rose to a shrill, terrible note like the hiss of flames sounded. The guards that of a death-scream. This was followed had started a protective fire and were set¬ by an outbreak of exclamations, questions, tling themselves for their vigil until dawn. calls to one who did not reply, scaling down “Well,” came Rand’s unemotional voice, into mumbling tones. Then came silence “guess I’ll curl up for a good sleep.” “Wait a minute,” shot Knowlton, a quiv¬ The stars rolled westward. The dank er in his tone. “Thanks to Tim, I have an chill of the hours before dawn made the idea. Thanks to a chafed knee, I have a guards shiver and draw close to the fire. little can of talcum powder in my pocket. At last a wan light came into the sky, Thanks to luck, we have water and some brightening fast. The animal world roused dried anatto dye. Rod, is your flashlight in itself to its daybreak clamor. The door of your shirt pocket as usual?” the tribe-house opened. Men emerged and “Yes. Why?” the guards rose to meet them. “Here’s why. Those fellows outside are They grunted rapidly, pointing to the clay dead afraid of disease. Now listen hard.” prison. A worried scowl came on the faces His voice mumbled rapidly for a minute. of their auditors, among whom was the Then sounded a subdued chorus of approval. leader who spoke Spanish. After a mo¬ “Por Dios, it will do!” ment’s hesitation he walked to the mud “By cripes, ye got the right dope, looey!” house and ordered the others to release the “Good head, Merry. We’ll try it out.” door. As quickly as possible they obeyed, Jose stole to the door and, through the pulling out half of the logs. Then they re¬ air-slit, watched the guards at their fire. treated. The others huddled in a corner, where, in the Beyond the logs still standing, the leader white sheen of the little electric ray, they saw only dimness. He stepped closer and worked with powder and moistened dye. leaned inside. For a moment he stood petre- They worked slowly and with extreme care. fied. Then he sprang back. At length McKay strode to Jose and mut- Rigid on the floor before him lay the man who was to have been executed that Tiger River 105 morning. His jaw hung slack. His upturned no time to throw the stout door of their face was ghastly with the pallor of death. home into place and bar out those awful And against that awful pallor stood out a creatures. Before they could even struggle thick sprinkling of malevolent reddish spots. through the opening the two foremost pur¬ suers got their clammy clutches on three or CHAPTER XI four of them—clutches which did not hold, but which froze their hearts with insane THE LOOTER terror. Screeching like lost souls harried through A HOLLOW groan echoed out from the Hades by malicious demons, they fought dank pen. through the portal and ran madly on toward Before the starting eyes of the Indians, the door connecting the quarters of the a white man came reeling from a dark cor¬ warriors with those of the women. To their ner at the rear—the tall black-bearded one. horror-struck fellows they gasped the fright¬ His groan was echoed by another, and a ful news as they fled. Paralyzed for an in¬ second figure staggered into sight—the stant, those who heard the fatal tidings blond man with the bandaged head. Both gaped at the doorway and saw the red- rfrere blanched and haggard of face. And spotted apparitions coming relentlessly on. on each of those faces, on their necks and The wave of fear which had swept the first on their arms as well, flamed virulent spots fugitives into flight engulfed them also. far more red and appalling than those of the The big house became a chaos of frenzied corpse. They lurched to the doorway and hung The chief himself, standing beside his there, staring glassily. Hoarsely they hammock with a throwing-spear poised for begged: attack, was caught in the mob-terror sweep¬ “Agua! Water—for the dying!” ing the place. For a minute he stood his Frozen, dry-mouthed, the savages stood ground, fighting against the chill that en¬ staring speechless at the frightfully diseased wrapped his heart. If the advancing dead- creatures who yesterday had been strong alive men had hesitated he would have held his position, hurling one javelin after “Agua!” croaked the pair again. another at them. But they did not hesitate, Then, with the desperation of beings al¬ did not waver. ready doomed, they came crawling over the With inexorable tread they came straight logs and lunged straight at their captors, at him, grinning those grisly grins, stretch¬ reaching for them with the malignantly ing out hands empty but more menacing spotted hands. Behind them appeared two than if they held weapons. more men—the red-headed one and the His hollow eyes darted aside. His mouth hawk-faced Spaniard—and on them too writhed in repulsion. With a choking grunt glared the blotches of deadly contagion. he hurled his spear at the black-bearded In that instant the wild men of the jungle specter in the lead. McKay, watching keen¬ ceased to be men. They became screaming ly, lurched aside. The missile flew wild. creatures bereft of sense and reason by The chief spun about and leaped headlong frenzied fear. From bullets, from cold steel, away toward the thin partition beyond from poisoned arrows or spears they would which were the women’s quarters. not have retreated an inch; but from those Under the weight of the men hurling lunging, reaching corpses whose touch themselves at the one small door, that par¬ meant hideous death to all their tribe— tition caved in and collapsed. Among its they recoiled, collided, struck and clawed fragments the howling mob struggled, fell, one another, fought madly to get away, and, scrambled up and dashed on toward the shrieking, bolted for their tribal house. exit, already jammed with women shrieking But that house, a fortress against jungle and clawing their way out. For a moment enemies, was no defense against the dread or two a panic-stricken maelstrom swirled thing pursuing them now. Somehow the about that door. Then at last, bruised and dying men found the strength to run after scratched and bleeding, the whole tribe was them, treading close on their flying heels outside and rushing for the shelter of the and reaching, reaching, reaching for them, grinning horribly as they sped. There was Had any of them paused to look back 106 Adventure toward the mud prison, he would have seen smashed partition. Swiftly he worked along a thing which either might have restored his the debris, firing it in a dozen places. It reason or knocked the last vestige of sense flamed up instantly, the blaze crawling out of his quivering brain. There among rapidly up to the tindery palm-thatch roof. the stumps, half-way across the clearing and “An affectionate adios to the gentleman heading for the tribe-hpuse, was swiftly who advised me to kill myself before morn¬ creeping a fifth red-spotted man—the dead ing,” he chuckled, loping back. “Now out¬ man who had lain just within the doorway side, comrades, desde luegol If we go quickly when the logs were taken down; the man we may go unseen. They ran into the bush who was to have borne the vengeance of the at the rear—we go out at the front—the tribe for the death of the hunter. But none house hides us. Come!” paused. Men, women, children, old and Out to the entrance they strode. A quick young, strong and weak, all tore for the glance around, and they struck for the protecting labyrinth of tree and bush. And path, which opened ahead. At every step the dead man reached the house and van¬ they expected to hear a yell from the jungle ished. behind, announcing that they had been Within the doorway, Rand found a scene sighted. But none came. of wreckage which suggested the devasta¬ tion of.an exploding shell. Hammocks were SHU.® INTO the bush they plunged. torn down, weapons lay scattered over the |*g There, for the space of one brief floor, clay cooking-vessels were overturned glance, they paused to look back. and shattered, the debris of the partition Already the tribe-house was vomiting jutted in jagged segments, and smoke from black clouds from roof and doors. Up from the newly fit breakfast-fires drifted over all. the smoke-hole at the peak darted a flare of In the midst of it he saw his comrades, flame. Even if the whole tribe should rush grouped at the chief’s hammock, swiftly back to it now, it was doomed. So was any buckling on their weapon-belts, gathering man who dared to enter it. up their rifles and axes and hammocks, “Jose, take the lead,” commanded Mc¬ stuffing into pockets and shirts small parts Kay. “Dave, you march second. Tim and of their plundered equipment which could Merry, follow in file. March!” be carried away without hampering their Thus, in four crisp sentences, he arranged movements. As fast as he could he limped his little command in the most effective to them. order: The veteran bushman as guide, the “Here’s Dave!” rumbled Tim. “Hullo, injured man where his bad leg would not ye dog-gone stiff! Who said ye could come compel him to fall behind the rest, and the alive? Don’t ye know ye croaked with bulk of his fighting force instantly available smallpox last night? Wal, now shake a leg. for rearguard action. McKay, in the post We got to move, double time.” of danger, strode behind, keeping a watchful The green-eyed man was moving already. eye and ear open toward the rear. In a few fleeting seconds he was belted and For a time all forged ahead in silence, armed like the rest. Jose picking the dim trail with unerring “Hate to leave so much of our duffle,” eye, Rand stoically hobbling onward at good grumbled Knowlton, “but we have to flit speed, Tim and Knowlton careful not to from this festive scene while the flitting is crowd their lame comrade. Presently good, and pack-animals are bum flitters. Knowlton began to chuckle. If we can get back to the canoes we’ll find “Did it work?” he exulted. “Oh, boy! our cans of grub and cartridges there, any¬ We sure must be a handsome gang of how.” corpses, from the reception we got. Dave, “Si,” grinned Jose, “and if these Indios you missed the best show of your life.” follow us there they will soon learn that I “Didn’t miss much,” Rand denied. “Sat told no lie when I said those bullet-tins were up and watched you chase them into the filled with quick death. And when they house. Saw them come yelping out of the return here they will find none of our plun¬ back door, too. Finest free fight I ever der waiting for them. If we cannot have it clapped an eye on.” they shall not. Hold my rifle a moment.” “Yeah,” assented Tim. “I dang near With which he snatched blazing sticks laughed out loud when they busted right from the chief’s fire and bounded to the through the wall. Seemed like I was back Tiger River 107 home watch in’ a movie show. Gosh, I’ll be they left behind them a plain trail; that glad when I can wash this powder off me soon the absence of the dead man and the face. I feel like a chorus girl.” presence of the telltale broken dye-pot “Silence in the ranks!” snapped the cap- would be discovered; that somewhere an unbroken bow and a few arrows might yet But his mouth twitched as the ludicrous remain; and that only five arrows, skilfully side of it struck him too. Again he saw the shot, were needed to wipe out their whole chief turn tail and fight madly with his own party. Wherefore silence and vigilance men in flight from four faces whitened with again ruled. talcum and dotted with harmless dye-spots. But whatever the furious white Indians And as he caught a subdued humming from may have thirsted to do was not done. The Tim and recognized the air he laughed adventurers, once more doggedly heading silently. The ex-sergeant was softly singing toward the mysterious cordillera to the to himself an army tune beginning: north, wound steadily onward without at¬ One battalion jumped right over the other battal¬ tack. They passed from the creek into the ion’s back- streamless shadows, through them to the water-gleams of the river, up along the But'the smile vanished in a flash, and he Tigre Yacu to the first rocks, where yester¬ wheeled. Muffled, almost deadened by the day they had found gold and capture. To¬ intervening jungle, a roar of raging yells day, at the same spot, they found some¬ sounded back at the clearing where the thing equally unexpected. tribe-house now must be a belching furnace. Approaching it, they heard sounds which The Indians had returned to their toppling at first seemed to be the recurrent murmur stronghold. of the water. A few rods farther on, they “Sounds like the beginning of another slowed and listened hard; for now the party,” muttered Knowlton, inching back mutter seemed to be that of voices. Jose, his breech-bolt to make sure his gun still scowling, slipped on ahead, motioning to the was loaded. rest to wait. Hardly had he disappeared “Uh-huh. But they sure are crazy if among the trees when an unmistakable they foller us up,” said Tim. “They ain’t noise broke through the curtain of brush— got nothin’ to fight with but hands and the thump of a heavily laden tin container. teeth. They dropped everything when they “By cripes, some more guys are at our made their getaway, and all their weapons stuff!” fiercely whispered Tim. “Lemme git are burnt. We could easy massacree the by, Dave. I’ll learn ’em somethin’, the whole layout.” mutts!” For the first time the full extent of Jose’s Rand, however, declined to yield his place revenge on the Indians dawned on the rest. or to be hurried. Despite his injury, he was He had not merely burned their house; he creeping forward with the old stealth that had plunged the whole tribe into the most had been his when he was the Wild Dog of abject poverty, if not into actual tragedy. the Javary. Tim swallowed his impatience They were without shelter, save for the few and trailed him in silence, Knowlton and small, wretched clay huts; without food McKay close behind. except for the products of the plantation The thumping sound came again, and which they had trampled down in their with it a voice that seemed oddly familiar, flight; without weapons, in a savage jungle speaking Spanish. In it was a note of ma¬ where weapons meant life. True, they could licious joy, with an undertone of fear. exist, and no doubt would exist, until they “So the illustrious gentlemen have gone could rehabilitate themselves. But for to the-as they said they would. Ha! a time they would be virtually at the mercy Ha! ‘A quick voyage to you,’ I said, and so of any fate that came their way, and for it was. My polite senores, I trust that now a longer time they would be a weak, disor¬ you roast comfortably in -. Ha, ha! ganized tribe. Quick, you clumsy ladroncillol Take this “Guess their morale has suffered a severe one also. Los Indios blancos—the white jolt,” McKay summarized it. “But they’ll Indians—may be close to us.” make it hot for us if they can.” Another bump. Then the sarcastic voice And there was no relaxing of alertness as of Jose: the little column went on. All knew that “For your good wishes I thank you, io8 Adventure

‘Senor Bocaza’ (Big Mouth). But I think it Jose’s eye flickered over his gun-sfght. is you who goes to the- His trigger-finger tightened by a hair’s With a rush the Americans emerged from weight. Then it loosened. the bush beside Jose. The Peruvian, with “Don Jose?” he purred menacingly. a leering grin, was sighting down the barrel “What is the rest of the name, you who of his rifle. On the river lay a newly arrived know so much?” canoe—a two-man craft. In it, bending “Martinez. Oh, yes, I know you, Don Jose. over with his hands on one of the American Who has not heard of the famous-” cases, stood the Indian whom Jose had “Pah! Your lies and your flattery both chastised at San Regis. On the farther sicken me! Once I was a don, a caballero, bank, clutching another case, his face but you know nothing of those days. All blanched yellow-white, crouched the Moyo- you know is that I am a killer of men. Of bambino trader, Torribio Maldonado. men, not of whining pups. I will not waste a precious bullet on you. I will save it for CHAPTER XII an Indian, a snake, a monkey—something worth killing.” DEATH PASSES The menacing muzzle sank. But, as the Moyobambino began sidling toward his SHOCKED speechless, the rascally trader canoe, it rose again. squatted rigidly for a moment, eyes and “Not so fast! Pick up that case under mouth gaping at the men whom he had just your hands and carry it into the San Regis consigned to eternal torment. Then his canoe nearest you. Then carry all the others lips moved. and pack them carefully, every one. If you “Cien mil diablosJ” he gasped. miss one, you ladrdn, or forget to take one “Do you say so?” mocked Jose. “A out of your own boat, you go floating down hundred thousand diablillos? I did not the Tigre with a hole in your liver. Now know there were so many. I know only work!” one—the great homed—of them all. The The Senor Torribio Maldonado worked. others must be mean little diablillos like Perspiring profusely, he packed those cases yourself. If they are not too proud to with faultless precision and extreme dis¬ associate with you they will soon have a patch. Meanwhile the Americans, though new companion. How will you have your watching appreciatively, kept their ears traveling ticket—in the head or the open for any sound from behind. None stomach?” The yellow pallor of the other became “Shall we let him go, capitan, or take him ghastly. He tried to shrink behind the tin with us?” queried Jose in an undertone. case, which was far too small to hide him. “We can use the pair of them for work- “San Pablol Santo Tomdsl Santa AnaI” slaves and punish them well for sneaking he mouthed. after us in this way, and we shall know Then, in desperation, he rose quivering they stir up no danger behind us.” to his feet. McKay studied him quizzically. The “Amigo mio,” he whined, “I was but hard face of the descendant of the Con- taking your goods to a safe place where the quistadores showed that he was not joking. accursed Indios would not get them, and Left to his own inclinations, he would make where I could start a party to search for that pair sweat blood in the days to come. you. I thought you were captured-” “Don’t want them,” the captain refused. “And so we were,” taunted the outlaw. “More trouble than they’re worth.” “Perhaps you stirred up those Indios blancos “I will see that they give no trouble,” to hunt us down, yes? That would be a came the significant promise. true Moyobamba trick.” “So will I—by not having them around. “But no Santo Domingo, no! Never I told you, back on the Maranon, that this would I do such a thing. I am mad with fellow was your meat, but I’ll take charge joy to find you alive, amigos! Only put down that gun—it gives me a coldness in “As you wish, capitan.” the middle, though I know you are only McKay motioned, and his four mates having your little joke—ha, ha! Only put went with him into the stream. Maldo¬ down the gun, Don Jos6.” nado watched their approach with obvious Tiger River 109 misgiving, but he dared not attempt to flee. somberly stated. “I wish I had them under On the farther shore McKay faced him. my thumb—or that my old rifle had ac¬ “You! Do you want to live?” he snapped. cidentally exploded when it pointed at the “If you—what’s the matter with you?” Moyobambino. But they are gone, and we Maldonado had shrunk back, staring waste time here.” from face to face, a new terror in his eyes. McKay nodded and gestured toward the “San Pedro! The spots!” he breathed. canoes. With one more keen look at the “Your faces, amigos—your hands-” surrounding bush and a swift survey to “It is lafiebre encarnada—the red fever,” make sure nothing was overlooked on the interrupted Jose, grinning wickedly. “You ground, the voyagers returned to their do not know the red fever? No? We respective boats. A little later the boulders caught it among your friends the white In¬ around which had centered treasure-hunting, dians back yonder. They have it much peril, capture, theft, mockery, and fea*>, were worse than we. It drives men mad, Tor- alone once more in a stretch of empty river. ribio. Those wild men were tearing their own house apart when we came away, they ■ j A MILE upstream the five spotted were so mad from the red spots. In a few M^gj men slowed their strokes. Before hours we too may be crazed. Hah!” ESS!!! them rose more rocks. Like the He shot out one red-spotted hand and first obstructions, however, they were few, rubbed it over the Moyobambino’s face. and not high enough or close enough to With a squeak of fear the wretch tripped cause much difficulty to canoes. But be¬ backward, sprawled over the edge, soused fore traveling much farther every man into the water. He came up gasping and needed to get into the tins which had just scrambled into his own canoe. been saved from the clutches of the Moyo¬ “Go!” rasped McKay, gritting his teeth bambino. Their stomachs were empty and to hold a stern face. “This is your last their cartridges few. chance. Paddle hard to the great river and So, beyond the boulders, they halted. you may live. Otherwise-” Jose, watching the flat boxes of cartridges He paused. The trader, now all atremble emerge from one of the ammunition tins, between his fear of Jose, of the white In¬ smiled wryly. dians, and of this new disease of the river “ I should have brought with me a tin box of evil repute, did not wait to hear what like yours, amigos,” he said. “Or else I might happen otherwise. He went. should have remembered to find some bullets His canoe bumped between the boulders before leaving our Indian friends. Now all and fled downstream, the Indian and his the cartridges they took from me are ex¬ master heaving it away with strokes that ploded in the fire I set, and I have only bent their tough paddles. Rapidly it five left in all the world. Senor Dave, you diminished to a blot at the apex of twin must make for me a bow and some arrows.” angular ripples, the paddle-blades winking Rand smiled and shook his head. fast in the sunlight. Then it darted out of “Not unless we’ve lost a can,” he said. sight around a turn. “Tim, is the forty-four tin still there?” A chorus of chuckles sounded on the “Uh-huh. Safe and solid. Wait a min¬ shore where the five watched the flight. ute, Hozy, old-timer, and I’ll give ye all the “And so the River of Missing Men sends cannon-balls ye want.” back two more bold hearts,” laughed To the Peruvian’s amazement and joy, Knowlton. “They’ll have a brave tale to he was speedily presented with a clean, dry tell when they return to San Regis.” carton of the heavy bullets that fitted his “The river has not yet returned them to gun. that town,” suggested Rand. “Trade stuff,” McKay explained. “We “ Meanin’ they may git swallered by some¬ don’t use forty-four calibre ourselves, but thin’ before they git clear?” guessed Tim. it’s so commonly used in the jungle that “ Begorry, they might at that. If them white we brought a batch of it over the Andes. Injuns catch ’em foul they’ll be out o’ luck. Lots of times a few forty-four slugs will buy Serves ’em good and right Too, the dirty more than you could purchase with five cache-robbers. times their value in money.” “I have a feeling, comrades, that we have “True, capitan. And to me they are not yet seen the last of that pair,” Jose worth more than all the gold that may be IIO Adventure ahead. Now that I have them, I am curious it under some drooping ferns which would to know whether that path of the white mask it from above. Then they roved up Indians still follows this stream upward. the creeping water, pausing at a spot So I will take a little walk over yonder while some rods farther on, where other ferns you open some food.” formed a good covert. As Rand and Dumping his ammunition into his capa¬ Knowlton lifted their wet faces he pointed cious right-hand pocket, he shoved his canoe upstream. across the stream, clambered up the bank, “We’ll move up there,” he said. and disappeared. After a look at him and at the bank, the “Queer thing about that path,” remarked others dipped their paddles. The twin dug- Rand. “It’s a good deal older than the outs slid across and upward and floated clearing and the tribe-house of the Indians under cover. back yonder. Been here longer.” The lieutenant lifted inquiring brows, get¬ The others frowned thoughtfully. Their ting in return a noncommittal wave of the eyes, though experienced by previous jungle hand. For a little time all sat in silence. travel, were not trained to note the slight All at once Rand grew tense. differentiations which were so obvious to His Angers tightened over his rifle. He the former wild man; but even they had leaned a little forward, all his senses con¬ noticed that the tribe-house seemed quite centrated into listening. To the ears of the new. Now, while they labored with can- others came no new sound; no sound what¬ openers and gouged beef out of the cans, ever, unless it was a barely audible rustle they pondered. which held a moment, then died, like the “Ol’ Injun trail, prob’ly,” hazarded Tim. soft sigh of a passing breeze. But Rand’s “ Been used a hundred years, mebbe, by the head slowly turned, following that tiny wild guys travelin’ up and down.” murmur downstream. After it had died “Quite likely. Wish my leg was in good away he still held that alert poise, w hiking condition. I’d like to leave the Presently his gaze swung to the faces of canoes and hit the trail. It probably goes his companions, who were watching him to where we’re heading for, and canoeing keenly. Soundlessly his lips formed one will be work from now on.” word— “Yeah? ’Tain’t been work up to here, “Men!” o’ course not. But I’m game to stick to McKay pointed a thumb backward, these here dugouts a long while before I mutely asking if the men had gone down make meself an army jackass and buck the the river. The ex-roamer of the jungle bush with tin cans hung all over me. That nodded. bush-whackin’ don’t make no hit with me All watched toward the rocks below. No nohow. Besides, we dunno if that path does sight or sound of human life came. From go anywheres—might lead us right into where they lurked they could not see the some headhuntin’ town. Nope, me empty canoe of Jose. In every mind grew for the river as long as she holds out. the same question: What had become of And I’m goin’t o use some of it right At length the question was answered. Wherewith he began scrubbing the sweat- Stealthy dips of a paddle floated to them, streaked talcum powder and the dye-spots and a ripple curved along the water. The from his face. The others followed his bow of the outlaw’s canoe appeared, hug¬ example—but not all at once. Rand and ging the shore. Above it moved a black¬ Knowlton waited, with hands on rifles and haired head, minus the piratical red hand¬ eyes scanning water- and tree-line, until the kerchief. Stroking carefully, Jose slipped other two were through with their ablutions. up to them. Then they took their turn, while their clean¬ “Por Dios, you are wise, capitanl” he faced companions watched. whispered. “You shifted in good time. I “ Funny we don’t hear nothin’ from Hozy, could not get back to warn you, and I have cap,” muttered Tim. “Thought he’d come been sweating blood, expecting to hear you right back.” attacked. McKay'made no answer. But his eyes “The path is there, amigos. It is close rested on the Peruvian’s canoe, noting that to the water here. And along it have just its owner, with habitual caution, had left gone thirty Jiveros! The head-shrinkers!” Tiger River hi

CHAPTER XIII “Same here, if it would get us anything,” concurred Knowlton. “But until we find FOLLOWED something worth fighting over, what’s the use? Use your head a little if you want to McKAY reached to the newly opened keep it on your neck.” ammunition tin. “Grrrumph!” growled Tim. Silently he extracted box after box of soft- But his hand went now to his paddle, not pointed cartridges and passed them to his to his tobacco. companions. With equal silence each of “No use hangin’ round here,” he said. the Americans received the flat packets, “Le’s go.” slit the thin paper seals with a thumb-nail, And, after another look around, they turned back the covers, and placed the boxes went—slowly, stealthily, with open cart¬ on the bottoms of the canoes, the grim brass ridge-boxes beside them and rifles close at heads ready within instant reach. Boxes hand, but steadily forging on up the forbid¬ of forty-fives followed, and the spare clips den water toward whatever lay beyond. of the belt-guns were given quick but Though they now were afloat once more, thorough inspection. Finally Tim beck- they tacitly held to the same formation in oned'Jose closer, and, with a muffled grunt, which they had traveled the trail that morn¬ lifted the entire case of forty-fours into ing: Jose in the lead, with Rand following the outlaw’s craft. in the bow of Tim’s canoe, and the pair of “They’re yourn,” he stage-whispered. ex-officers trailing. The two jungle veterans The Peruvian made no reply in words, but thus were where their keen senses were of his shining eyes spoke for him. So did the most use, while the rest of the expedition swift swoop of his hand into the tin and his was in position for quick action toward front affectionate gaze at the cartons of death¬ or rear. Yet, for all their readiness, there dealing cylinders he brought forth. But he seemed to be nothing to do but the ever¬ wasted no time in gloating over his treasure. lasting paddling. Since the passing of that After exposing the shining discs and the dull sinister rustle in the western bush no sight gray leads to the sun he turned and watched or sound of anything but animal or bird life downstream. had come to them. Minutes dragged away while the hidden As they went, the sharp eyes of McKay five squatted under the ferns, holding the dwelt thoughtfully on Rand. He was push¬ canoes motionless by gripping the bank, ing his paddle as stoically as ever, and to straining eyes and ears for sight of savage all appearances his stroke was as strong as figures near the rocks or for any returning if he had had both legs curled under him. rustle. Then Jose let his gaze return to the But the captain knew well that the lacerated opened beef-tins. limb was aching, and that the forced jour¬ “I believe, senores, we halted here to eat,” neys through the tangled forest had pulled he suggested. the torn muscles apart and undone whatever The broad hint met with immediate re¬ good had been accomplished by the first sponse. Hands relaxed from their grips on rough-and-ready surgical attention. the guns, and the guns themselves were laid He knew, too, that unless the claw- softly down. A minute later every one was wounds were given a fair chance to heal wolfing food. there would be a cripple in his company for “No smoking,” refused McKay, as Tim, many days to come; and that the day might after devouring his meat and gulping a not be far off when, notwithstanding his gourd of river-water, reached for his “mak¬ dogged grit, that cripple’s inability to han¬ ings. ’ ’ The big freckled hand hesitated, then dle himself with his normal ease might reluctantly came away from the shirt pocket. plunge the whole party into irretrievable “Dang it, I ain’t had a drag since last disaster. Humanitarian reasons aside, it was night,” grumbled the red man. “Say, are imperative that the weak link in the chain we goin’ to keep duckin’ and hidin’ and be made strong again. Rand must lie up. goin’ without smokes on account of a bunch But he could not lie up in the moving o’ bare-backed boobs like them there, now, canoe. Not only would this throw all the Jiveros? Me, I don’t like this scairt-cat work of propelling that dugout on Tim, stuff. Wade into ’em and blow ’em wide but if a real mal-paso should be encountered open if they git sassy; that’s my idea.” he would have to take to his legs with the 112 Adventure rest while the boats were dragged and poled Tim and Rand, too, wondered but held their upward. Moreover, another band of sav¬ tongues. ages using that hidden trail—or perhaps the The waterway curved from northeast to same band returning—might at any time north, cutting off all view of the Tigre Yacu. see and attack the expedition. Finally, Only a few hundred yards from the river it the stubborn pride of the man himself would opened into a lake, perhaps a mile long, not let him rest unless the others halted also. rimmed with wide sandy shores from which Wherefore the only solution was to find rose stiff slopes of heavy timber. Nowhere a covert where a secret camp could be con¬ on its placid bosom nor on its gleaming structed and all hands could take a few days sands showed any sign of humanity. of ease. “Will do,” McKay asserted. So, saying nothing, the commander re¬ “For what?” demanded Rand. newed his study of the slowly passing shores. “For a hangout,” enlightened Knowlton. Now and then he halted his paddle and “What’s the big idea?” Tim wanted to scrutinized some indentation or dried-up know. brook-mouth; but only for a minute. The “Here you can smoke,” said McKay, his canoes crawled on for some distance before face relaxing. he saw wh'at he sought. “Huh? Say, I’ll do that li’l thing right Then, on the eastern shore, a fair-sized creek opened. After a quick survey McKay And in three-fifths of a second the spoke to Knowlton, and the canoe surged tobacco-hungry paddler’s pouch was in ahead at double speed, closing in on service. Jose. “We’ll lie up here a few days,” McKay “Think we’ll look at that creek,” said the went on. “A little rest wifi do us all captain. “First, take another look at the good.” trail—see if it’s still there. Then hunt for “And that ain’t no lie,” affirmed Tim. another on the other shore.” “But what makes ye so merciful all to The Peruvian swung his bow inward, oncet? Got religion or somethin’?” picked a landing-spot, and slipped away “Look here, Rod, am I holding the gang among the leaves. Rand’s eyes followed back?” Rand sharply asked. “If that’s him. Knowlton’s turned to McKay with a your idea I won’t-” look of inquiry. The captain rolled a “Yes, you will,” McKay coolly contra¬ thumb toward Rand’s back, then touched dicted. “You’ll stick with the gang, and his own leg. The blond man’s quick nod the gang halts here.” showed that his thoughts had been traveling “But-” the same channel. “No argument, Dave. Your leg’s bad. Jose returned, reporting that the path It’s got to get well as fast as possible. We still ran beside the water and that it showed want no lame ducks. You’ve got-to lie up.” no sign of use since the Jiveros had gone “And eat up all our grub——” downstream. At once the canoes crossed “We’ll get more grub here. Turn the and entered the creek. There Jose dis¬ little twenty-two gun loose on monkeys, appeared for a longer time, exploring the jerk the meat, save our canned stuff. May shores of the new stream. At length he lay in a stock of fish, too. There’s plenty stepped out of the tangle with news. of salt.” “There is no path here, at least near the “Si,” Jose approved, scanning the sandy water,” he declared. “And this water is no shores. “And this sand should be full of real creek. It is only the outlet of a laga— tortuga eggs. The water must hold many how big I do not know, but only a little way fish. Those heavy woods beyond will mean up.” easy hunting and good hiding. You “All right. Let’s inspect it.” could not have chosen a better place, The black eyes of the outlaw hung on the capitan.” gray ones a moment, mutely puzzled. But Rand’s mouth remained set, but he was he asked no question. Into his short craft silenced. Tim, with a sidelong wink at he got, and up the almost motionless arm Knowlton, shoved on his paddle, and the of water he led the way. He knew his Rand-Ryan boat moved onward. After a capitan well enough to realize that this was few more strokes from the stern Rand began no thoughtless waste of time and effort. to ply his own blade. Tiger River

A LITTLE way down, on the right walk here without trouble; but not now. shore, a sandy spit ran out into the All sand soaks up sun-heat, but some sand is water. Beyond it the five found worse, and this is the worst I ever met. If a small cove. There they ran the canoes we stay in this place we must find a shorter aground, and Jose and Tim were first to way to the trees. There is one, on the other debark. side. See.” Jose, as scout, stepped off across the sand Following his pointing finger, the rest toward the steep bluff which, in the wet saw a spot where a deep indentation gave season, evidently formed the rim of the a water-path to within a few yards of the lake, but which now was some fifty yards tree-growth. Pushing out, they passed over distant. But he did not step far. All at to it. The water shoaled to finger-depth once he bounded into the air, whirling like at a distance of ten feet or more from the a cat, and ran for the lake. Knee-deep in the edge of the beach, making a poor landing; water he stopped, spluttering a hodge-podge but the space of hot sand intervening was of Spanish, Indian, and English profanity. only a few yards wide, and with boots wet it “What the—” Tim began. could be traversed without much discom¬ Tljen he sharply picked up one booted fort. So there they debarked. foot, hopped off the other as if stung, caught McKay and Knowlton loped across the his balance, and rushed to join Jose. sand to the bush, arriving with feet hot but “Holy sufferin’ cats!” he blurted. “This not painful. A short scout revealed nothing is some swell place ye picked out, cap! but animal sign. Returning, they brought Ouch! Oo-lse! Cripes, I bet me boots are strips of flexible but tough bark and some gone!” bush-cord, which they presented to Jose. The three still in the boats stared up the The Peruvian, sitting in the water, fell to sand. From it radiated intense heat, but work binding the bark to his feet as protec¬ nothing moved on it. tive coverings to his tender soles. Tim and “What’s the matter?” demanded Knowl- Rand after a thorough soaking of their boots, made a quick trip arm-in-arm across “Matter! Git ashore and ye’ll find out! the hot space. Then Tim returned, picking That there stuff ain’t jest sand. It’s the up his feet with unusual spryness. top lid o’-!” Half an hour later a camp had been made “Oh. Hot, eh?” at a little distance from the entry-cove and “Hot! Aw, no! Git out and set down on skilfully camouflaged with big leaves, and it a few minutes, looey. G’wan! Ye to it all the outfit except the canoes them¬ dassn’t!” selves was transported. Later on, when the “You’re right. I dassn’t,” grinned the sand could be crossed with impunity, the lieutenant. “Sorry, Jose. You must have boats would be shifted to a better berth; caught it badly with no boots on.” but now they were left stranded in the Jose, with lurid emphasis, assured him shallows. Rand’s leg was dressed anew by that he was burned to the bones. But after Knowlton, who was more deft at such work the water had cooled his suffering feet he than the others, and he lay in his hammock, flashed a grin. solacing himself with a cigaret. “I wish, amigos, I had my Moyobambino Then, all at once, the hand holding the pet here now,” he chuckled. “I would ride cigaret stopped in air. Into his face came on his back. How he would prance! Hah!” that look of concentrated listening. Jos6, “Mebbe he’s dead already, and them too, turned from something he was doing hundred thousand friends o’ his have lit and cocked an ear toward the river. The extry bonfires to welcome him,” suggested others glanced at one another and stood Tim. “Anyways, this sure is the upper motionless. crust o’ his Winter home. Me, I’m goin’ The Peruvian shot a look at Rand. Then somewheres else.” he picked up his gun and vanished among He wallowed into his canoe, where he the trees. To the waiting four presently stared at his boots as if astonished to find came a sound—a swishing, pelting sound them still on his feet. Jose also tugged his which grew into a murmur, as if men were bow off the sand and stepped in. running and breathing in hoarse gasps. “It is the sun,” he explained. “On a A sudden near rustle, and Jose burst out cloudy day, or in the morning, one could of the forest. 114 Adventure

“Peace is not for us, amigos,” he panted, “The men who shrink the head. They with a hard grin. “That tribe of accursed found us helpless. They follow to take our white Indians is coming!” heads and our women. Let us pass on. Or kill us quickly before they come.” CHAPTER XIV He glanced back, but his face held no fear. He seemed only coolly gaging the BURNING SANDS pursuit. When he turned again bis eyes held a malevolent glow, and the thin smile “ AW, RATS!” snorted Tim, seizing his glimmered across his mouth. -ti. rifle. “There ain’t no rest for the “We can not live,” he ground out. “But wicked, as the feller says. Jest when we you who destroyed us go to death with us. git comfortable them guys horn in again. Your heads hang with ours. Bueno.” This ain’t goin’ to be no fun, neither—not Though he spoke an alien tongue, the unless they’ve dug up weapons somewheres. women behind moaned as if they under¬ Too much like killin’ sheep.” stood ; as if they were visioning the massacre The other Americans too, though swift of their men and their own slavery among to arm themselves, scowled as if facing captors who would treat them like animals a disagreeable task. Not so Jose. His pride and mock them with the grotesque heads of still rankled at the memory of having been their mates. At that sound the hard-set trapped so easily and driven like a beast to faces of the five turned harder. Even Jose, a mud pen, and now, finger on trigger, he looking at the children, clenched his teeth. looked vengefully back as if awaiting the Every man of them knew the Jiveros were appearance of that leader who had flung his inveterate polygamists; that their killings knife so contemptuously on the floor and were actuated even more by greed for invited him to commit suicide. woman slaves than by cupidity for the grisly When that leader did come loping into trophies of war; that it would be more merci¬ sight, however, the Peruvian stood stock ful to shoot down these women and girls still. The Indian was weaponless and was now than to let them fall into such hands. darting glances from side to side like a They knew, too, that the Indian spoke truth hunted thing; he was followed by gasping when he cast on their shoulders the blame women and children. for the present defenselessness of his people, At sight of the five whites aligned beside and that he voiced no idle threat when he their hidden hut and the five deadly muzzles predicted doom for all. menacing his breast he stopped as if shot. “By cripes, I don’t care what happens to The running horde behind struck him and these guys—they would have killed Dave,” knocked him forward, reeling and clutching Tim blurted. “But the women and for support. One hand caught a tree and kids-” saved him from sprawling. He snarled McKay’s voice cut in. something over his shoulder. The human “Do as I say and you may live. Run on herd slowed to a halt. a little way. Turn to the water and run For a second the women and children back through the trees at the edge. Do not stared at the hard, bearded faces fronting step on the sand until you see us at our them—faces now without a vestige of the canoes. Come to us there. We will fight horrible pallor and virulent spots which had for you. Quick! Go!” been there that morning. Then their heads The other’s mouth twisted in disbelief. turned back, and from them broke whim¬ These gun-bearers, who had been their pers of terror. Behind them sounded the prisoners, would fight for them? No hope hoarse voices of their men, urging them on. of that! But, as drowning men clutch at But again the leader snarled, and instead of straws, he grasped at even that hopeless surging forward they passed back his words. chance. As the imperative commands “You fools!” McKay rasped. “Why do snapped in his ears and the guns sank he you follow us?” bounded forward. Automatically he obeyed “We do not follow,” the Spanish-speaking McKay’s pointing finger, indicating the rear Indian retorted. “We seek safety for our of the hut. Around the shelter he plunged, women and children. Death comes be- pressed close by the fugitives blindly fol¬ lowing his lead. “What death?” “Jose! Get back and watch for Jiveros!” Tiger River 115

barked McKay. “When you see them don’t struck by a speeding foot. The Indian had shoot—run back here. Dave, hop to the obeyed orders, turned, and started back just canoes! Tim—Merry—bear a hand on these at the edge of the sand. cases! Snap into it!” “Time for one more load,” the captain Without a pause to watch the passing judged. “Merry and Tim, back to the hut! horde he leaped into the hut and clutched Dave, hold her ready to go. I’ll have to a couple of heavy containers, with which he boss this gang.” plowed toward the canoes. Hard on his The blond and the red man, without their heels came his two able-bodied mates, each rifles but with pistol-holsters unbuttoned, carrying all he could snatch and hold. raced back across the burning sands. They Rand, lugging the rifles, limped rapidly in had hardly disappeared into the bush when their wake. the head of the Indian line broke out be¬ Meanwhile Jose, slipping swiftly along the hind them. McKay beckoned imperatively. disordered column, found himself obliged The leader made straight for him. to draw off to one side if he was to He was half-way across the hot grit before spy Jiveros instead of fighting his recent his face contracted with pain. But his stride captors. The women and children, ob¬ never wavered; he only jumped ahead like sessed by fear, gave him hardly a passing a spurred horse. A couple of seconds later glance. But the men, following behind in he was ankle-deep in the cooling water and position to do their desperate best when the barking at the women, who had begun to pursuers should overtake them, saw in him cry out and hesitate on the scorching sur¬ the living reason why they now were fleeing face. Between the goad of his voice and instead of battling their foes with gun and the momentum of the following mass, the spear and bow. waverers were propelled onward into the They did not know he was truly the man shallow water-lane. who had thought of destroying their fortress The whole column followed fast. Soon all and had put that thought into execution; if the fugitives were packed together in the they had, not all the head-hunters in the inlet, and the grim chief was forcing his jungle would have kept them from hurling way through to learn from the young guide themselves on him with their only weapons why they were here in the open, easy prey —bare hands or crude clubs wrenched from to the impending attack. prone trees. Even as it was, the bold stare The guide had halted beside McKay and and mocking grin of the outlaw enraged demanded the same information. Was this them to the point of striking at him if he a cruel white-man trap, calculated to de¬ came within reach. So, keeping in mind stroy their last chance of life? He snapped his duty, he gave them plenty of room and the question with savage brevity. With sped on to the rear. equal curtness McKay snapped back at him There, last of all, he found the chief, the answer to the riddle. loping onward with frequent backward Sudden hope flared in the tawny eyes looks and grimly clutching a formidable watching his. As the chief reached him and tree-branch. Coward though he might have growled a wrathful query he translated the been that morning when confronted by white man’s talk into the Indian tongue. dread specters of disease, he now was all The tribal ruler, his feet still hot, threw a man, guarding the exodus of his fallen tribe quick look at the sand, another at the point and holding himself ready to fight and fall in the bush where the tribe had doubled on first when the relentless death behind should its trail, and a third at the water-line strike. And the outlaw, reading his face, stretching away. Then his hard gaze bored ceased grinning and gave the ruler a friendly into McKay’s face. nod. His answer was a hollow-eyed glare. “You are at our backs,” he pointed out, The retreating line faded away. The his voice rough with hostile suspicion.. Peruvian posted himself behind a tree at the “Your guns at our backs, Jiveros at our edge of the new trail and waited. faces.” Back at the canoes, the Americans “I know it, you fool!” shot the captain. dropped their burdens and shoved the dug- “I will do what I say. Take it or leave it. outs into water deep enough for floating. We go.” McKay glanced along the bank. A short At that moment Knowlton and Tim came distance farther on a bush swayed sharply, careering out \yith more cans. They jostled 116 Adventure past, thumped their burdens into the canoes, in the same instant. His paddle darted out and hopped in after them. and lashed the water in tremendous strokes “Better beat it, Rod!” called Knowlton. even before he got to his knees. Thereafter “Jose coming?” he fairly lifted the boat along toward the “Not yet, but time’s short. Where do we waiting group. go from here?” “Whew! Some getaway!” breathed “Hold up a minute.” Then, to the chief: Knowlton. “Our guests must be arriving.” “Your life or death are in your own hands. “Get my idea?” demanded McKay. Do as you wish.” “Sure,” was the answering chorus. “And With which he shouldered his way out of it’s a peach.” the press, ran to his canoe, jumped in, and Jose slowed to a stop beside the rest. commanded— “They come, amigos," he panted. “They “Paddle!” The two dugouts slid outward, leaving the “All right, listen a minute!” little canoe of Jose empty and waiting. Swiftly the plan of battle was outlined to A couple of young bucks grabbed it. Mc¬ him. His face cracked in a ferocious grin. Kay dropped his paddle inboard and swung Without another word he scooped up extra on them, with rifle aimed. cartridges and stepped over the side, knee- “Hands off!” he barked. “The man tak¬ deep. The others also slipped overboard ing that canoe dies!” and crouched. The guide and the chief grunted together. To the Indian who spoke Spanish, McKay The pair lifted their hands from the canoe gave brief instructions. He grunted them and sullenly swung toward their command¬ rapidly to the savages standing before the ers. At once the chief began loping out¬ knot of gunmen. Barely had he finished ward, feet in the water, at the very edge of when a mutter of mingled rage and fear the sand. The rest followed. ran down the line. At the mouth of the inlet the canoes It was swallowed up by an outbreak of swerved to the left and glided along the lake, exultant yells from the trees. Over there near shore. At the same point the chief beyond the dancing heat-waves a band of turned and ran on in the same direction. A painted men, naked but for maroon loin- short distance up-lake the boats slowed and clouts, broke cover. All were light-skinned, stopped. The fugitives, following, splashed fierce-faced, equipped with jungle weapons up to them, still only ankle-deep. The chief and wooden shields. They pointed, ges¬ halted and gave gruff orders. ticulated, howled in*gloating glee at the His people drew together, standing at the sight of the almost unarmed men and the water-line, facing the jungle, which seemed huddling women and girls waiting desper¬ to quiver in the heat-waves ascending from ately at the water’s edge. Their quarry was the intervening sand. Behind them the run down at last. Heads for the taking— canoes crept up and grounded. women for the clutching—a revel of butch¬ “Here’s the dope,” McKay explained. ery and a Jivero holiday! “Jiveros, following trail, turn at that place Out upon the sand they sprinted, vying over yonder. Trail runs back along shore. with one another for first blood and first But they see their victims out here, un¬ slave. The waiting victims cast anxious armed, helpless, making a last stand. Nat¬ glances back at their new allies and took urally they don’t loop back along the heart. The white men were tense, ready, shore-line—they come straight out to get peering through the fringe of naked legs these fellows. They don’t see us. Between concealing them, holding their fire. them and us are forty yards of blistering Five—six—seven yards out—the first sand. By the time they-” Jiveros began to bound higher and glance . “Here’s Hozy!” Tim broke in. down at their feet. Ten yards—sharp grunts of startled pain broke from them. JOSfi was dashing at top speed Twelve—fifteen—the grunts rose into yelps from the tree-line. He tore across and yowls. The leaders tried to swerve the sand, bounded through the aside. water, leaped in air and alighted in his canoe They collided with one another, tripped, with a fierce down-drive of the legs that shot stumbled and sprawled on the burning the craft outward and sat him down hard sands* Then they screeched. Tiger River ii7

An answering screech came from the the merciless creatures who had harried water’s edge—a shrill scream of laughter them through the jungle and who now were from Jose. Like a flash it ran along the line within arm’s length, the men who had just of fugitives standing cool-footed in the been the hunted became the killers. With water. They howled and roared and twit¬ tree-branch club, with fist and nail and tered and squeaked, man and woman and tooth, they battered and tore those last child pointing derisive fingers at their foes. Jiveros into mangled pulp. That ridicule stung more sorely even than The burning sands, only a moment ago the furnace below. The Jiveros, red-mad alive with charging head-hunters, now were with rage and pain, leaped forward again. belted from bank to water with contorted As they came they loosed a wild volley of bodies. Along that hot lane of death arrows. The laughter ceased abruptly. In nothing moved. The Jivero band was the waiting line men slumped down and lay wiped out. still, long shafts protruding from their bodies. CHAPTER XV “Now! Open!” roared McKay. The Indian leader howled the command JOSE TAKES A CHANCE in his own tongue. Before the masked battery of white men a gap sprang open, THE white men, watching the ferocious Indians plunging to right and left. Through annihilation of the few remaining war¬ that gap darted flame-spurts and crackling riors, backed away and reloaded their rifles. reports. “A wolf-pack,” McKay warned. “Look The foremost Jiveros, now only twenty out they don’t turn on us. Get aboard.” yards away, sprawled again. This time A wolf-pack it seemed, indeed, when it they did not rise. drew away from the corpses it had made The clatter of four breech-bolts and of one from fighting men. Gashed, bruised, lever action rattled out. Then another bloodied by the last desperate thrusts and swift rip of gunfire, terminating in the sul- blows of the head-hunters and by injuries furous bang of Jose’s forty-four. Five more inflicted on one another in the savage melee, blood-mad slayers dropped on the sizzling it glared hotly around as if seeking fresh objects on which to vent its fury. But, The rest, shocked through with sudden now that it had made its kill, the pack fear at finding guns belching death into speedily cooled. Perhaps the steady stare them, dug in their heels and stopped. But of the white men and the silent menace of they could not stop long. The burning ready rifle-muzzles peering over the canoe pain at their feet bit deeper. And in the gunwales aided the cooling. instant of their pause the guns spat a third For a long quiet minute savage and civil¬ ized men looked one another in the eye. The soft thumps of more bodies striking Then the chief stepped forward, harsh, grim, earth, the intolerable torment under foot, barbaric, streaked with red from a deep slash the swift realization that water and relief down one cheek, but holding up a friendly and their enemies all were nearer now than hand. In tones far more mellow than the the trees, stabbed the killers into final fierce whites had heard from him heretofore, he attack. Frothing, screeching, the survivors spoke at some length. As he finished he jumped ahead, throwing spears and whirling waved a hand toward the women. war-clubs. In another crash of flame and McKay made a sign of incomprehension. smoke five more of them pitched headlong The chief looked about, seeking his inter¬ and died. preter. With the same thought in mind, the One more clatter—one more rip and bang Americans also searched faces. Then Tim —then the gunmen sprang up, reaching for pointed. their pistols. The last five Jiveros of the “Tough luck,” he said. “We’ll never thirty-strong band were almost upon them. know what this guy’s tryin’ to tell us. But the hand-guns remained silent. In Lookit there.” a sudden pounce the men of the white In¬ Huddled in the shallow water lay the dians hurled themselves on the remnant chief’s right-hand man—the only one in his of their foes. Without a signal, without tribe who could speak Spanish. Through plan, without reason except the simultane¬ his throat, and out from the back of his ous primal impulse to avenge themselves on neck, jutted a Jivero spear. II8 Adventure

With a sudden unintelligible sound the moreover, even if devoid of gratitude they chief sprang toward that motionless figure. would not be so senseless as to attempt an Dropping on one knee, he turned the face attack on the riflemen whose prowess now upward. Despite the unmistakable deadli¬ was ineradicably fixed in their memories. ness of the wound, he seemed loath to be¬ Rand’s leg, too, must be worse than ever lieve that the younger man was not still by this time. And they needed the jerked alive. Presently, however, he slowly arose meat they had planned to get. and stood staring out across the water as if “All right. But we’ll have to shift camp,” unseeing. When he turned back to his peo¬ he compromised. “Plain trail leads to it ple his step was springless and his face now, thanks to the feet of this gang. We’ll seamed with new lines. go back there for the present. After we’ve Jose, watching, felt a sudden twinge of shooed these people out we’ll make another sympathy. Between those two must have camp farther along.” existed a closer bond than that of chief and The three canoes floated backward, subject. turned, and journeyed to the inlet. More “Hijo?” he asked. slowly, the Indians came swashing behind, The somber Indian gave no sign that he a long stoical file, the women watching the heard. McKay, who had picked up a few gliding dugouts of the bearded outlanders words of the Quichua tongue in the Andes, and the men carrying the bodies of their repeated the question in that language. fellows who had gone down before Jivero “Churi1 Son?” arrow or spear. The hollow eyes turned to his. The end of the homeless procession passed “Zapai churi,” he croaked. “My only the spot where sprawled the disfigured bodies of the head-hunters last to die. It The captain nodded and strove to express receded down the edge of the scorching sand condolence; but the effort was fruitless, for which had slowed the enemy attack and the requisite Quichua was not in his vocabu¬ aided the straight-shooting whites to annihi¬ lary. The chief, however, seemed to under¬ late the assailants. Then through the heat stand. He spoke again, a short sentence in quivering over the battle-field came a swift which McKay recognized the words “iscun” rush of wings. On the motionless Jiveros and “ushushi,” and motioned again toward settled the grisly black army of the upper the women, a number of whom now stood air, which had been gathering from the four staring sorrowfully at the head guide. quarters since the first rifle-volley, and “Chief has nine daughters,” he translated. which now fixed rending beak and talon “But his only son is dead. Too bad. I in the fallen. rather liked that young chap. Well, we may Again the canoes grounded at the shallow as well go back to camp and get the rest of end of the water-lane. Jose hopped out, our stuff. May be more Jiveros along thoughtfully watched the approaching later.” horde, glanced at the stretch of sand, and “Not unless another band is out,” Jose spoke. disagreed. “None of these escaped.” “Halt them here, capitan. They move slowly with their dead; and the feet‘of the “Certain, capitan. I made it my task young are tender.” to watch those nearest the bush and to While the others looked puzzled, he shoot some who tried to turn back. There sprinted across the hot space and was gone is none to carry news of us.” among the trees. Then from the bush came “Good head!” Knowlton complimented. sounds of a chopping machete. “You’re a cool one, Jose. Well, Rod, I “Huh! Funny sort of a galoot, ain’t he?” don’t see any necessity fop abandoning our queried Tim. “He’s goin’ to bridge over camp. These chaps aren’t likely to bother this sand, I bet, to save the tootsies of them us after what we’ve done for them, even if women and kids. And yet he don’t think we did bum their house a while ago. Tell no more o’ killin’ men than o’ smokin’ a ’em to beat it, and we’ll resume house¬ cigaret. Dangerous as a tiger-cat one min¬ keeping in our new jungle-bungle-o.” ute and gentle as a woman—a good woman McKay considered. The white Indians, —the next. Me, I’d let ’em blister every who now owed their lives to them, were foot in the crowd before I’d bother meself hardly to be regarded longer as enemies; to help ’em out.” Tiger River 119

With which he belied his own words by “Churi chascai.” legging it across the furnace to aid Jose. McKay, frowning, fingered his jaw in By the time the chief reached the halting- perplexity. place the pair were emerging with great “Don’t get you,” he confessed. “Only armfuls of poles and long palm-leaves, with word I understand is churi—-son. Anybody which they rapidly threw a path of compara¬ know what churi chascai is?” tive comfort across to the head of the inlet. Nobody did. But Tim was, as usual, “Women and kids first!” commanded willing to take a chance. Tim. “This stuff’ll shrivel up in no time. “Mebbe chascai is a gun,” he hazarded. Come on, make it fast!” “We got guns. Mebbe he’s tryin’ to tell us So, after the chief caught the idea and we’re sons-o’-guns. That might be a big gave his orders, the weaker ones of the compliment in his lingo.” tribe scampered along the green lane which Ludicrous as the suggestion was, nobody already was curling up in the heat. After snickered. Tim, testing out his wild guess, them the body-bearers strode heavily. The held up his rifle and raised his brows. The men behind got across as best they could, chief looked bewildered, then made a sign for no more leaves were put down for them. of negation and patiently began repeating Last came the Americans, Rand trying not his talk. to limp and the other two carrying ammuni¬ “That lets me out,” confessed Tim. tion cases. “Dave, try the ol’ feller with some o’ yer Back to the camp trudged the whites. Javary cannibal talk. Mebbe he’ll under¬ And back to the camp the whole homeless stand that.” tribe flocked with them. For a minute or But the tribal ruler, listening to a series two, before giving further attention to the of monotonous gutturals from the lips of Indians, the adventurers were busy glancing the former Wild Dog, showed no compre¬ over the effects which they had been com¬ hension. pelled to leave behind. “Wish we had a Quichua vocabulary “Jiveros found this place, all right,” com¬ along,” Knowlton regretted. “The old boy mented Rand. “See how the stuff’s been wants something and intends to get it, and pawed over? But nothing’s gone. They he evidently can talk some Quichua, though figured on looting the shack on their way I don’t believe it’s his usual language.” back with the heads and slaves.” “Perhaps, sehor, he knows the Tupi “Prob’ly figgered to find our trail too, tongue spoken by the Amazonian Indians after they cleaned up these folks, and git down below,” suggested Jose. “I can speak some white-man ornaments,” agreed Tim. it, though not well. And I know some “But say, cap, what are these guys hangin’ Zaparo words also. Let us see.” round for? If they think we’re goin’ to To the chief he spoke two words: feed ’em and build a new house for ’em “Herayi? Niato?” they better think again.” This time the chief understood. It was quite evident that the white In¬ “Niato,” he repeated, nodding down at dians wanted something; or, at least, that his son’s body. “Noqui cunian.” their chief did. He stood before the hut, “Ah,” said Jose. “He speaks the Zaparo, grave eyes on the bearded men, obviously but not the Tupi. He has just said in awaiting a chance to speak. McKay turned Zaparo what he said before in Quichua: to him and pointed toward the river in a ‘Son. My only son.’ Perhaps I can plain gesture of dismissal. But the chief learn-” made no move. He looked quietly into The chief interrupted. With another each alien face in turn. Then, in mono¬ slow wave toward the white men and then tone, he talked. toward the womeri, he said—

WHAT the chief said the five did Jose started. PyH not understand. The chief, seeing “Acamia?” he repeated incredulously, their blank expression, seemed to pointing to himself. “But no!” repeat. He pointed solemnly down at his The Indian nodded firmly. He pointed dead son. He pointed toward the women. at the outlaw, then at each of the Americans He waved a hand along the line of white men. in turn. While Jose still stared he spoke Several times he reiterated two words— five words. Slowly, shyly, five maidens 120 Adventure came forward and stood beside him; grace¬ now and then to see what the bearded men ful, handsome girls, shapely, dark-eyed, were about. flushed, smiling a little, coy but conscious of their charms. AT LENGTH Jose and the tribal “Gee!” muttered Tim, “Look who’s ruler arose. here! Funny I didn’t see them li’l queens “Comrades,” the outlaw an¬ before, I must be gittin’ near-sighted or nounced with a grin, “the words churi somethin’.” chascai and acamia are not the same, but Wherewith he gave the little bevy a wide they mean the same thing to us now. The grin. Five perfect sets of teeth flashed a chief who yesterday wanted us for victims response. But, as the maidens let their deep now wants us as—acamia. And the Zaparo eyes stray along the other American faces, word acamia means son-by-marriage!” their smiles faded. Knowlton’s blond- He paused dramatically. The Americans bearded face was unresponsive, Rand’s only nodded slightly, as if they had known dark-haired jaw was impassive, and Mc¬ it all the time. Kay’s black-whiskered countenance was “Behold, amigos, our brides!” cold. With a mock-courtly gesture he indicated “Acamia?” muttered the captain. “I the five jungle beauties. His partners com¬ don’t know Zaparo, but I’ll bet I know what plied, beheld, and looked back at him with¬ acamia means.” out facial change. “What?” queried Knowlton. “Por Dios!” sputtered the exasperated “Wait and see.” Latin. “Are you sticks? Have you no Jose, recovering himself, pointed to the eyes—no hearts—no bowels—no-” ground and squatted. The chief sank down “We got plenty o’ guts, feller, and we into position for lengthy conference. Where¬ ain’t blind,” retorted Tim. “But tell us after, by words and signs frequently re¬ somethin’ new. We knowed that an hour peated, with pauses and puzzlings and new ago.” starts, a laborious process of exchanging “Si? And you knew also that these are ideas proceeded. the highest and most beautiful maidens of After a little time the three able-bodied the tribe—the handsomest daughters of the Americans stirred. chief himself?” “Looks like a protracted pow-wow,” said Eyes opened at this. Jose, having scored Knowlton. “We might as well make our¬ a sensation at last, recovered his aplomb. selves useful as well as ornamental. Some “Si, of the chief!” he repeated. “So you of our cans are still broiling out yonder, and did not suspect you were so greatly honored. time’s getting away.” It is as I say. The chief—his name is “Right,” the captain agreed. “Dave, Pachac—has never created a son, and says keep on sitting in your hammock and twid¬ that Piatzo—the Great Father, or God— dling your gun. We’ll finish our moving.” will give him only girls. So now that his Leaving their rifles with Rand, they re¬ only son is dead-” turned to the canoes and loaded themselves “Hold on!” expostulated Knowlton. with the hot tins. Neither going nor re¬ “You’re stepping on your own foot. You turning did one of them speak a word, say he can’t have sons, yet his only son though Tim broke into sudden chuckles at times. Though none was positive, each Jose guffawed, drowning the rest. had a strong suspicion regarding the sub¬ “Ah, yes, amigo," he laughed. “Yet it is ject of the conference—a surmise amounting true. What Piatzo would not do for Chief almost to knowledge. Pachac, a Spaniard did. So says Pachac Back at the camp they coolly busied himself. Years ago a Spanish adventurer themselves with preparations for moving fell into the hands of Pachac—and, when farther along, as McKay had intended. Pachac was not looking, into the arms of one The Indians, standing about in aboriginal of the wives of Pachac. Where the Spaniard patience, watched them and gave ear to the afterward went the chief does not tell me, progress of the difficult conversation be¬ but from that wife was born this man who tween chief and outlaw. The five girls now lies dead on the ground.” smiled no more, but soberly contemplated Looking down into the Spanish face of the dead younger chief, lifting their gaze that dead man, the listeners nodded. Tiger River 121

“That explains a lot,” said McKay. “Go gold! By joining the tribe we increase our own power. When they are strong again “Si. That bold, lone-of a Spaniard we lead them into the cordillera. We go must have been a man after my own heart— with fighting men of the jungle behind ready for love even in the jaws of death— a true son of the Conquistadores! Hah! If “And then what?” demanded the captain. we Spaniards were not so busy with blood “ We find the gold, and then-” and gold we could people the world with “That’s it. Then?” men—fighting men! And Chief Pachac Jose cogitated. knows it. “I see. You senores are of North America. “He has seen what kind of son that white With gold you return to your own land. man gave him. He has seen us white men You are not outlaws, like me, with no land kill six times our own number of Jiveros to call home. To go you must abandon without winking an eye. He has seen us, your new wives. You would not. So you prisoners in a mud cell, outwit his whole will have no wives. You will be free. I tribe and destroy his power. He is no fool, see.” Pachac. Now he will make us all his sons, His black'eyes dwelt on his fighting mates, and behind the protection of our guns he then on the handsome girls. His head will make his tribe strong again, and through tilted, and a reckless smile grew on his face. us he will become the grandfather of many “You all refuse these girls?” he demanded. man-children who will grow into great Four nods answered. fighters against the accursed hunters of “But you stay here until Sen or Dave is heads.” strong and you have shot and cured much There was a pause. Pachac and his meat?” winsome daughters and his broken people “Unless we have to move.” watched the white men. The white men “ If these people will be your friends you stared coolly back—except Tim, who will not drive them from you?” grinned and finally laughed outright. “Certainly not.” “Cripes, if this ain’t the limit!” he gurgled. “Bueno!" “01’ Lady Fate is sure a funny ol’ skate; With that devil-may-care smile still throws ye into the fryin’-pan and then lets stretching his mouth he turned to Pachac. ye hop out into a basket o’ peaches. And Another conference ensued. At length the if ye gobble the peaches, like as not they chief, after a dubious pause, assented to sour on yer stummick.” something. McKay’s mouth twitched. The girls looked startled. Then their “True. Especially the last part. Jose, teeth flashed again. But this time the we’re highly honored and so on, but we’re smiles were not for Tim or his countrymen. here for gold, not girls. Tell the chief to They were for Jose. trot along home.” And Jose, with swaggering stride, stepped “ Madre de Dios! You refuse?” among them. He slipped sinewy arms over “Speaking for Roderick McKay, I do. the two nearest pairs of shapely shoulders, Every man can make his own choice.” drew the giggling girls masterfully to him, “The gang sticks together,” seconded and grinned diabolically at the four “sticks” Knowlton. from North America. “ But, capiian—amigos—comrades! These “Gracias,” he mocked. “As you have are no dirty brown women— Their skins said, capitan, every man makes his own are fairer than our own tanned hides! And choice. Since you scorn these little tigresses if you have no fire in your veins, think of the of the Tigre Yacu, I take them all!” TO BE CONTINUED Author of “Black Hawk," “Tupahn—the Thunderstorm,’’

The first part of the story briefly retold in story form

TAEEP in the South American jungle on the banks the Amazon—and immediately they were fired to go. ol the upper Amazon, Jose Martinez, outlaw, They set about procuring three small canoes at a camped and meditated his troubles. Suddenly he native town a short way down the river, and got rid was startled by a voice from across the water; and of their large boat. After a quarrel with a Mo- as he waited, a river-canoe, containing twelve yamba trader there—an incident which promised to native paddlers and four white men, approached. brew trouble later on—they started out anew and With a shout of recognition Jose welcomed the soon were well into the savage territory of the white travelers. head-hunters. “It’s the Senor Tim Ryan,” he cried. Here they had the opportunity of rescuing a party The other three were McKay. Knowlton and of white Indians from the head-hunters. The white Rand—all his old friends from North America. Indian chief wished to show his gratitude by not only They informed Jose that they were in search of adopting his rescuers into the tribe but by having gold [and asked him to join them. He accepted them marry his daughters as well. This the North and told them of the rich prospect in the little- Americans refused to do; but Jose indicated that he known region of the Tigre Yacu, a branch of was of a different mind.

CHAPTER XVI “Capitan, have care!” he warned. “I am not without honor. I abide by what I THREE PASS OUT have done. I do not desert my brides. But I do not desert my quest. Nor do I desert LL right, old-timer,” said Knowlton. my friends—so long as they are my friends.” “Sorry to lose you, but we wish His eyes narrowed to slits, he watched you luck.” McKay’s grim face a moment. Then, get¬ “I am not so easily lost, senor,” ting no answer, he went on, his tone turning Jose laughed. “Remember that I started harsh. up this Tigre Yacu before you did. And “No man who calls me traitor—no man do not think that because I have paused I who even thinks me traitor—can be friend have stopped.” of mine. No man, friend or enemy, can tell McKay’s jaw set. me what I shall or shall not do. If you do “Meaning that you don’t intend to stick not want me with you longer, go your way— by what you’ve done?” he snapped. “If and the devil go with you! But I have not you only expect to amuse yourself a few stopped. Hah! No! And I have yet to see days and then desert these girls, you’ve the man who can stop me!” stopped for good, as far as we’re concerned.” A red flush shot across McKay’s face. The outlaw jerked his arms from their Perhaps he had wronged Jose; but the out¬ soft resting-places and stepped forward. law’s volcanic retort was too hot to pass “Tiger RiverT copyright, 1922, by Arthur■ 0. Friel. Tiger River 85 unchallenged. He stepped forward. Jose capilan it would not now be ended. My instantly stepped to meet him. intention was—but no tiene remedio—it can Rand’s voice, cold as a knife-edge, came not be helped. To you, Senor Knowlton— between them. Seiior Rand—my old friend Tim—I wish all “Cut it out!” he drawled. “You’re both success. If at any time Jose Martinez, the wrong. Going to fight like a couple of vile outlaw and deserter of women, can be fools? You make me sick.” of any aid to you three, do not hesitate to Both slowed. Another step, and they call. Adiosl” paused. Behind Jose the Indians stirred Turning his back squarely on McKay, he and looked at their chief. Behind McKay faced the men of Pachac and extended his the Americans let their hands sink to their gun-arm toward the back trail. Pachac holsters. himself led off. The line began to move. “Yeah,” rumbled Tim. “What’s the Silently the white men watched them matter with ye? Hozy, lay off cap or ye’ll go: The barbaric chief, still gripping his git all that’s cornin’ to ye. Cap, jump crude blood-stained club, belted with his Hozy and ye jump the whole tribe—he sinister black hair girdle, followed by men belongs to ’em now. They’re scrappers. bearing the corpse of his dead half-son; Remember what they done to them last the naked, muscular warriors, some carrying JiVeros. Want to start another war before the other bodies of their slain; the fair¬ our guns git cooled off?” skinned daughters of the chief, looking Common-sense gripped both the bel¬ wistfully back at the motionless Jose but ligerents. They fronted each other, eye to asking no question; the other women, some eye, but each saw in the other’s face realiza¬ young and robust, some carrying babes on tion that he had spoken too hastily and their backs, some bent from age and work; harshly. the children, stoical as their elders. On into “My fault, Jose,” McKay coldly apolo¬ the dim shadows they filed, heading back gized. “I misunderstood.” toward the desolate clearing where the “Es culpa mia,” was the chill reply. “The remnants of their plantation would yield fault is mine.” them scant food. Then Jose moved. “ Good enough. Now you’re both right,” Down the bank toward his little canoe came Rand’s caustic comment. “Let it go he started without a backward look. Mc¬ at that.” Kay, cold and straight, still stood where he But, though the sudden gulf yawning be¬ had stopped after the mutual apology which tween the two men had closed, a split still had not restored friendship. From the hut existed—not only between the captain and behind him came no sound. But he felt the outlaw but between Indians and whites. three pairs of eyes on his uncompromising Standing solidly behind their chief, ready back—eyes whose combined weight of dis¬ to back him in anything he did, the men of approval hung heavy on him. the jungle now were also solidly behind the “Jose!” he called. new son of Pachac. The Americans were Jose went stonily on. He faded among as doggedly loyal to their own leader, right the trees. He was gone. or wrong. What might have become a har¬ “And there,” said Tim morosely, “goes monious alliance, even despite the refusal of the feller that let us in on this trip. The the Northerners to accept membership in the feller that tipped us off to the gold when we tribe, was now merely a mutual tolerance. didn’t know there was any up here, and Saxon pride and Spanish pride left the gap would fight for us till the last dog died, as unbridged—with Jose on the other side. long’s we didn’t kick him in that sore pride Now the Peruvian, ignoring McKay, o’ his.” somberly eyed the three men in the hut. McKay faced about. The three pairs With resolute tread he strode forward, of eyes were not on him now. They rested picked up his gun leaning against a corner- on the spot where the son of the Conquista- post, gathered his meager personal belong¬ dores had disappeared; and they were ings under his left arm and stalked out. grave. “Senores,” he stated with formal polite¬ “My fault,” he conceded again. “But ness, “it is a matter of regret to me that our he’s gone. There’s nothing we can do now companionship ends. It is not by my choice but move camp as we intended. I’ll scout that it does end. But for the slur of your around.” 86 Adventure

Rifle in hand, he went out alone into the nothin’, in the middle of a howlin’ wilderness bush. Knowlton hesitated, frowning at the o’ head-hunters. If we ever git to that gold forest; then grabbed his own gun and fol¬ we’ll find li’l ol’ Hozy and his new gang (here lowed him. ahead of us, I bet. And I bet ye somethin’ “Always together, them two,” said Tim. else—one o’ these days, if he don’t git “Merry wants to give cap a swift kick, but killed first, Hozy’ll make himself the big he trails along jest the same. Dang it, noise round here. He ain’t jest stoppin’ to Dave, cap’s too sudden sometimes. No fool round a few girls like cap thought. need to jump in Hozy’s face with both feet He’s lookin’ way ahead, figgerin’ on things like that. What’s it to him what Hozy about ’steen jumps beyond where he is now. does? Me, I think Hozy’s one wise guy.” You wait and see.” Rand smiled slightly. “Hope we live to see it.” “Why didn’t you take a couple of them ‘Yeah. Hope Hozy lives to see it, too. yourself, then? You had your chance.” Wal, he’s got our whole case o’ -forty-fours “Aw, that ain’t what I mean. I can git to start his clean-up with, and if he gits girls enough up home if I want ’em, which a Jivero with every shot he’ll make head¬ I don’t. But lookit the thing from Hozy’s hunters hard to find round here. And there side. He’s a lone wolf, man without a coun¬ won’t be none o’ them what-ye-call-’em try, too much of a he-man to set down in a Bambinos in Hozy’s country, neither. Gee, town and git fat and bald-headed even if he I bet the first thing he does with his new could go back. He belongs in these here gang is to start ’em after that greasy trader wild woods. Now he gits a whole armful that was swipin’ our stuff. Hope he gits o’ swell girlies handed to him, gits elected him.” son of a chief and head of a bunch o’ hard Wherein Tim erred on both counts—as guys that he can train into one fierce fightin’ he was to learn before dark. Neither the machine— Why wouldn’t he take it? case of ammunition nor the trader who had Better be a king among pigs than a pig attempted to appropriate it had gone as far among kings, as the feller says. And them as the Americans supposed. Nor was Jose guys ain’t no pigs, neither. He’d be a thinking of matters so trivial as a pursuit of sufferin’ idjut to turn it down—him, a man the pair whom he had scared away that day. with a price on his head and no place to go. Ain’t that right?” DOWN at the river he had expertly The green-eyed man slowly nodded. concealed his canoe and joined the “Sure. And what’s more, all that long column fording the stream; and conflab between him and ol’ Patch- now, first in the line, heading even the chief, Ike wasn’t about girls,” Tim continued. he was stealing along like the jungle creature “Hozy’s got his eyes skinned all the time, he was, his gun ready to clear from the path and while he had the chief goin’ he was any menace to the people who had taken gittin’ a lot o’ dope about somethin’. him to themselves. In his dark eyes burned About what? About what’s ahead of us, a flame lit by thoughts known only to him¬ most likely—the gold and that wheel thing self—thoughts not of the Americans, not of the young feller spoke about, and what the Moyobambino, not even of his own makes fellers crazy up here, and so on. If present position, but of the mysterious land he didn’t git all o’ that he got somethin’, to the north. Truly, he had not stopped. and he’d have shot the works to us if But even he did not realize that he had only Scotch McKay hadn’t turned Puritan so just started. danged sudden. And now what do we Meanwhile, McKay and Knowlton were know? Nothin’. And the only wise guy in threading the tangle in their silent scout. the outfit’s gone, sore clear through. And No word had been spoken between them I don’t blame him. Pfluh!” concerning Jose, nor would anything further He spat disgustedly. Rand said nothing. on that subject be said for some time. In his He knew Tim. He knew the grumbling heart the stiff-backed captain was rebuking veteran would carry on as loyally as ever himself for his abruptness and realizing to behind the captain whom he now scored. the full what a serious loss he had brought He knew, too, that there was much of truth on the expedition; but, even if it had been in what Tim said. possible, he would not have recalled the “And now here we are, without a guide or Peruvian now. Tiger River 87

Neither would he give up his purpose to As they stopped beside the hut, up from go on into the sinister cordillera toward the direction of the canoes came Tim, puff¬ which he had set his face. Not if all his ing under the weight of a tin case. comrades turned back—not if he lost food “Say!” he panted. “Know what that and gun and clothing and had to attack the proud fool of a Hozy done? Throwed his jungle bare-handed—not so long as one inch can o’ forty-fours back into our canoe. of progress and one ounce of will remained Took a few boxes, that’s all. The danged in him, would he quit forcing his way on¬ oP— Huh! What ye got there? Cr-r-ripes!” ward. When he could go no farther he would The officers set down their finds. Tim’s go down, face still to the front and dead mouth worked. Then the case of cartridges fingers clutching the ground ahead. That slipped from his nerveless hands. was McKay. He was staring at the severed heads of At length, some distance farther along the Moyobamba trader, Torribio Maldon¬ the lake and well back, he paused and ado, and his Indian satellite. scanned the ground around a small tim¬ bered knoll. Past the rise flowed a tiny but CHAPTER XVII clear brooklet. Primeval solitude, un¬ marked by the feet of men, surrounded it. NORTH Game tracks were plentiful, and monkeys flitted along the high branches. Meat, AFIRE, carefully masked, glowed faint¬ water, secrecy, all were there for the taking. ly at the top of the little knoll back in Glancing at his compass, he turned back the jungle. Dimly outlined by its vague into the labyrinth, working toward the glimmer, the columns of near-by trees, lake bank. The present camp would be large and small, rose into the upper dark and easier to find by following the top of that vanished amid grotesque lianas and great slope than by worming back along the de¬ drooping leaves. Among them, a scant vious way he had come. half-rod from the smoldering blaze, stood A little later he and Knowlton emerged two straight young trunks between which into a fresh path, showing marks of many stretched a horizontal pole. Under the pole human feet. It was the trail left by the squatted four men, smoking. people of Pachac and the pursuing Jiveros; That pole was the front rafter of a care¬ the point where the fugitives had doubled fully concealed hut—a hut against whose back and where the head-hunters had later other three sides leaned newly cut bushes plunged straight out on the bare sand. The and ferns and whose roof-line was softened ex-officers paused, stepped nearer to the and distorted by cunningly spaced bumps edge, and looked out. and slants and juts of palm-leaf; a covert The sand again was empty of life: the which even a jungle Indian might have vultures had finished their work and risen. passed without seeing it, unless warned by Out there now lay only stripped bones, the odor of smoke which permeated the air fleshless skulls, scattered shields and spears even when no fire burned. The smoke-tang and bows and clubs, surrounded by sinister clung both to the soil and to close-hung red patches. The eyes of the men at the strips of meat under the palm roof. top of the bank ranged out to the water No Indian was near at present. But where they had crouched and shot. They other jungle prowlers, as savage and nearly returned, noting the positions of the bones as deadly, were restlessly moving round along that red trail. They glanced care¬ the camp. At times their fierce eyes shone lessly at the path left on the slope itself. beyond the fire, and at other moments Then the pair turned away. their snarls and growls told of their baffled But they wheeled back. There, under hunger for the meat they smelled beyond a tree on that slope, they had seen some¬ the men. Yet they held their distance, thing—something hastily set down beside partly because of the dreaded fire-demon the path by Jiveros just before charging out glowering at them and partly because even to kill and be killed. Their eyes widened. their ferocious hearts had learned that here Then they went down, picked up what they it was well to step warily. had found, and, walking with hands well They had learned, those ligres, that the away from their sides, resumed their way man-creatures now living here, though to camp. clawless and gifted with no such fangs as Adventure theirs, possessed a deadly power—that “Aw, don’t git so hasty,” complained they could suddenly spit out a sharp crack Tim. “Ye’ve had it pretty soft lately, but which struck their brothers dead. They we ain’t. We been pluggin’ all day, every had met men before, and more than one of day, gittin’ this here grub ready. Me, I’m those men had fallen before their rending willin’ to loaf a couple days meself now. attack and gone down their ravenous How ’bout it, cap?” gullets. But those had not been such men “Wouldn’t hurt to lie up one day, any¬ as these; they had been bare of body, beard¬ how,” McKay agreed, mindful of the fact less of face, able only to stab with spear or that the delay would heal Rand’s injured arrow and then die. These new two-legged leg just so much more. “All hands rest until creatures not only would not be eaten— day after tomorrow.” they killed and ate the tigres themselves! Rand frowned, but gave no further sign Yes, they were tiger-eaters. They pre¬ of impatience. He puffed again on his cigar- ferred other meat, such as monkeys and et and glanced at the vanishing gleams of birds and agoutis; but after they spat that a tiger’s eye in the black bush beyond. flashing report at a jungle king they stripped The others also had caught the gleam, but his flesh from his bones, ate what they want¬ made no move. So accustomed to the cor¬ ed, and salted and smoked the rest to add don of cats had they become that they paid to the monkey-haunches dangling from little more attention to it than to the ever¬ their roof. And so, though the big cats present mosquitoes—unless the animals nightly slavered at the tantalizing tang grew too aggressive. They smoked on in which drew them there, they kept moving. silence for a time. And, come when they might, they never “D’ye know, I can’t git that Bambino could find that meat unguarded or all the feller’s head out o’ me mind,” Tim declared men asleep. Always one was there, alert presently. “Keeps cornin’ back to me. I and formidable. seen all kinds o’ dead men over in France, For days now the camp had stood there. and plenty here in South Ameriky too, and For days three of its men had hunted in the some of ’em was tough to look at, but they surrounding tangle, killing as quietly as didn’t spoil me sleep none. But some way possible and bringing back their prey to the a feller’s head without no body on it gives hut where the fourth, who was lame, sat me the jimmies. I didn’t like them Jiveros with a gun close at hand. When their much before, but I got no use at all for ’em butcher-work was done they had gone with the fresh meat-strips to the lake shore, “So say we all,” concurred Knowlton. where, on frames constructed at the edge “Still, there’s no reason why Maldonado of the bush, they salted and dried their should haunt you. You gave him a good provender and then brought it back to camp deep burial—what there was of him. Won¬ for a light smoking. And now, thanks to der where the rest of him is.” skilful hunting, straight shooting, good luck “Somewheres between the river bank and and steady work, they had tough meat the white-Injun clearin’, most likely. If enough to carry them many a hard mile on¬ he’d kep’ on burnin’ the water down-stream ward toward the cordillera. the head-hunters wouldn’t never have got Now, also, Rand’s leg was again in con¬ him. If he didn’t try to do us dirt with the dition for use. Careful dressing and faith¬ white Injuns before they caught us he ful though tedious resting had healed the tried it afterwards, I bet.” wounds to such an extent that now he not only could walk about but could even squat STCIMJ THE red man’s random guess was beside his comrades in the nightly smoke- right. His terror diminishing after talk—though he squatted on only one heel jyytsy jje jQst sjg}jt Qf tjje men whom he instead of both. He was not yet in shape to had sought to despoil, Maldonado had re¬ buck a hard trail, but by favoring the in¬ flected that their fierceness and their jeering jured leg a bit he could do his full share of mirth were hardly in keeping with their paddle-work. Moreover, he had no inten¬ apparently diseased condition. Tricky him¬ tion of lolling here longer. Already he had self, he speedily suspected that he had been demanded that the dugouts, which now were tricked. Whereupon, in a burst of vicious sunk in shallow water for concealment, be fury, he had plunged into the jungle to see raised and loaded and the journey resumed. if he could find the white Indian settlement Tiger River 89 and goad them into pursuing the men who At length Rand arose, stepped to the fire, mocked him. What might have happened put on more wood, yawned at another eye- to him if he had reached that clearing and its flash beyond, and suggested: raging people may be surmised. But he “I’m on first-trick guard duty tonight. never arrived there. The head-shrinkers Better hit the hay, Merry.” spied him first. The blond man, whose night it was to “Dang funny how things have been keep vigil from midnight to dawn, agreed happenin’,” Tim went on. “Take them and promptly turned in. McKay, still white Injuns, now. With the whole jungle silent, followed. Tim grinned slyly at Rand, to run into, they couldn’t hit no other place jerked his head toward the obdurate cap¬ but our camp—the last place on earth tain’s back and retired to his own ham- they’d expect help, and the only place on earth they could git it. Seems like a “Wants to go jest as much as we do, but miracle.” he’s too set to own up,” was his thought. “Odd, but not miraculous,” disagreed “If I ever git rich and go back home I’m Rand. “They dodged the Jiveros somehow goin’ to hire one o’ them sculptor guys to and started running up the path. Then they carve me a li’l mule out o’ the hardest rock quit the path—maybe waded the river a there is, and then I’ll name it McKay.” little*way—to lose their trail. They un¬ Wherewith he curled up and slept. doubtedly know of this sandy lake on ac¬ Rand returned to his former place and count of its turtle eggs and good hunting. disposed himself comfortably, facing the Young leader thought they’d have a chance fire, cocked rifle now resting across his knees. to escape in here, so took the chance; in¬ Several times during his watch he lifted the tended to hide the women and children far¬ gun part way, then let it sink as a menacing ther in and then tackle the head-hunters form swiftly dissolved in the darkness. bare-handed. They hit our camp because it After Knowlton relieved him he slept tran¬ was near shore and they were following the quilly, undisturbed by any shot. lake line. Simple enough.” The day of rest followed, and another “Yeah, to hear you tell it. Now tell me night unbroken by gunfire. Then McKay, somethin’ else, Mister Wise Guy—where’s ending the second watch at dawn, roused that swaggerin’ rascal Hozy, and what’s he his companions to a day of action. doin’ right now?” In the cool daybreak hour, when the Rand shook his head. sandy stretch between water and shore was “Don’t ask me. I’m no oracle. But as devoid of heat as the forested soil behind, there’s a simple way to find out.” the four passed back and forth through the “What?” mist with meat and cans and guns and ham¬ “Go find Jose and ask him.” mocks and paddles. They waded into the “Huh! Gittin’ brighter every day, ain’t lake, scooped from the sunken canoes the ye? But say, I dunno, at that.” sand ballast holding them down, rocked Tim glanced sidewise at McKay, who them in the water until clean, loaded them stared expressionless into the fire. Then he up, and got aboard. Before the sands turned to Knowlton. beside them were even warm they were “Might do that li’l thing, too. Mebbe gliding away, leaving behind only a vacant Hozy’s been over here lookin’ for us before hut where the tigres now might enter and now, but couldn’t find this new camp— sniff and snarl in chagrin. we covered up our trail dang careful. Any¬ Out to the river they swung. And there, ways, ’twouldn’t do no harm to walk over though no word of Jose had been spoken and see how he’s makin’ out before we pull for many hours, McKay turned his boat our freight north. What d’ye think, looey?” down-stream. The lieutenant met the appeal in Tim’s Down to the rocks where they had been eye, looked at McKay’s stiff neck, smiled captured by the men of Pachac they pad- slightly. died. There they slid the canoes under “I’m game if the rest are. I’d like to cover and worked through the bush-fringe know if the old fire-eater’s still alive.” to the path leading toward the clearing “Same here,” Rand added his vote. where Jose might or might not be. But the A long pause followed. McKay said visit to that clearing ended before it could never a word. begin. 90 Adventure

The path was beaten smooth by the pas¬ through one bad pass after another, the sage of many feet. The feet had passed indomitable adventurers had at last been within forty-eight hours at most. The compelled to abandon the sturdy craft and Americans moved along it a little way, take to their legs. Rand studying the toe-prints along the Yet they had not left the dugouts lying edges, the spots where some.foot had swung carelessly among the boulders, nor even a little wide. Then they stopped, looked secreted them under the cover of low- at one another, and turned back toward the drooping bush or up a cleft in the bank. The canoes. boats now were high and dry, yet ready for They knew that a journey southward to quick use. They lay at the top of a stiff in¬ the clearing of Pachac’s people would be cline, high above the present water-level, only a loss of time; that there they would higher even than the old stains marking find neither Jose nor his adopted brethren. the topmost reach of the rainy-season They visioned the scene at that place as truly as if they now were standing at the It had taken nearly a whole day of strenu¬ end of the trail and gazing across the open¬ ous labor to get them there, for they were ing—an empty, desolate space of stumps, stout craft hollowed out from solid logs, where a few ancient mud huts gaped vacant¬ and astoundingly heavy. But there they ly at a charred ruin which had been a tribal were, lying on crude trestles, with bows house, and where the plantation at the rear somewhat lower than the sterns and dipping was only an uprooted waste, despoiled of downward. In them lay the paddles and everything edible. The nomads who had a number of tin cases which once had held tarried there a few months were there no oil, later had served as sealed receptacles more, and unless other wanderers came and for food and ammunition, and now con¬ settled on the abandoned site the ever- tained nothing at all. Only one of the con¬ encroaching jungle would steadily creep in¬ tainers still was heavy—the one in which ward upon it until it was engulfed in a remained the “ trade” .44 bullets which the tangle of upshooting green. party could not use here but would not “Too late,” Rand laconically summar¬ throw away. ized. “All gone—north.” The positions and equipment of those canoes were significant of three things: CHAPTER XVIII That their owners might be gone for some time, but intended to come back; that when THE TOELESS MAN they did come they might bring something with which to refill the tins; and that they AT THE top of a' steep ravine a half- might wish to depart in a hurry. With the squad of men paused, breathing hard, banks only moderately full of water, it to mop their streaming faces and renew the wouF require only a quick shove of the oxygen in their laboring lungs. boats down the natural chute to get under Below them, clear and cold, a little stream way with utmost speed. And the season for trickled along the gully out of which they the setting-in of the heavy rains was not had just climbed. Behind, a stiff slope many weeks away. In fact, even now the dropped from a ridge topped by tropical daily showers seemed to last a trifle longer timber. Ahead, a short rise pitched upward than had been the case a fortnight ago. at a grade, betokening another ridge and Now the contents of the vacant tins, ravine beyond. And off to the right, only together with smoked meat and hammocks a few rods away but concealed from the and other wilderness necessities, were drag¬ sight of the quartet by intervening trees, ging at the shoulders of the four dogged the Tigre Yacu squirmed its way along a marchers. The men stood leaning far deep boulder-choked bed. forward, hands on braced knees, distribut¬ The four men knew it was there, but its ing the weight of their packs and easing only use to them now was as a guiding line. their shoulders as they breathed. Hard¬ So low was its water-level, and so choked ened though they were by paddling, iron¬ its course with rocks, that it was no longer muscled from their strenuous toil among the a feasible roadway into the hinterland. rocks of the upper Tigre, they were not yet After days of paddling, poling, wading, accustomed to the unceasing strain and the shoving and dragging their canoes over and gruelling down-pull of their back-burdens. Tiger River 9i

And all knew that stiffer work must await them. “Cripes!” wheezed Tim. “I know now what ’tis that drives fellers crazy up this here river. It’s climbin’ up these blasted gullies and then tumblin’ down into another one a li’l further on. Up and down, up and down, and never gittin’ nowheres. If I ever git out o’ here and back to N’ Yawk I won’t lie able to travel natural on the sidewalks— I’ll have to climb up the sides o’ the buildin’s and then fall off the other side. Pflooey!” He blew a sweat-drop from the end of his nose and again breathed hoarsely. His humorous arraignment of the country now surrounding them was well merited. It truly was an up-and-down region, gashed athwart by water-clefts of varying degrees of steepness, and steadily growing higher. Had he or any of his companions taken the time and trouble to pick out the tallest tree thereabouts and climb into its lofty crown, he would have seen, to east and north and west, a maze of jungled hill-tops shouldering upward behind one another; and beyond, on all three sides, a mountain enough they must inevitably reach the wall looming mistily against the sky some mountains and there find—perhaps trea¬ thirty miles away. That wall, curving sure, perhaps utter barrenness. around like the rim of a great lopsided bowl “ If we could only pick up a li’l gold to kid from which the southeastern quarter had ourselves along, ’twouldn’t be quite so been knocked away, was the mother of bad,” Tim added. “Jest a li’l nugget, or the hills, the mother of the Tigre boulders— enough color in the pan to keep us goin’. the Cordillera del Pastassa, with its claw¬ But there ain’t nothin’. Seems like Hozy’s like eastern spur, the golden mountains of yam about the crazy guy without no toes their dreams. must be a dream. Yeah, ol’ Hozy himself But, though so near the unknown range seems like a dream now, and his Injuns and toward which they had toiled and fought, all. Nothin’ but jungle and work and bugs not one of those pack-burdened men had and sweat—that’s all the real things there yet seen it. Theirs was not the free outlook of the creatures of the tree-tops; they were Again he spoke the gaunt truth. In all earth-fettered, swallowed in the labyrinth, their tortuous way up the river they had able to see only a few rods at most in any found no gold worth keeping since that day direction, and then seeing only the eternal when Tim had captured the forty-dollar tangle in which they seemed doomed to chunk. Though their gold-pans and other labor for all time. They were here only mining tools had all been lost in their cap¬ because they were stubbornly following the ture and escape from the men of Pachac, course of the shrunken river, their compass¬ they had made shift to wash a little dirt es, and a dim track pressed into the mold by from time to time since then. They had bare human feet—the up-stream trail which, found color, but in such infinitesimal quan¬ starting somewhere below the abandoned tities as to prove a discouragement rather white-Indian settlement, still ran on and on than a lure. But for three things they might into the north and seemed, as Tim said, to before now have decided their quest to be get nowhere. hopeless—though they still would have Where they were now they could not tell; pushed onward. all sense of distance, even of time, was dis¬ Those three things were the nugget itself, torted by their surroundings. They only still jealously prized by Tim; the tale of knew that if they fought onward long the mad Gonzales, which they implicitly 92 Adventure believed—though told by an outlaw who the air like a hunting animal. But he did now was no longer a comrade of theirs; and not stop. His nose told him that whatever the fact that the narrator of that tale still was ahead was dead. was pressing on toward the cordillera. Just beyond the top of the hill he found it. How far ahead of them Jose and his band It lay scattered along on both sides of the now were they did not know, but they knew trail, which here led among sizable trees and they were ahead, and that they had gained comparatively thin undergrowth. It now much distance over the far slower canoes of was nothing but bones. But a few days ago the following whites. Traveling at the tire¬ it had been a body of perhaps twenty men, less pace of the jungle nomad, unburdened who had lurked behind the trees and at¬ by packs, snatching their sustenance from tacked from ambush. Broken weapons, the forest where civilized beings would have red-stained shields, splintered arrows jutting starved, they had pressed steadily onward from tree-trunks, remnants of maroon loin- while the Americans wrestled their canoes clouts, and trampled ground bore mute up through the boulders. testimony to the fierceness of the fight. Now their trail was old—washed dim by “Tidy little scrap here,” said McKay, thg daily rains, trampled under by the speaking for the first time in hours. fresher tracks of animals. But it was there, “Pachac’s gang must be armed again— and at long intervals the men following it with clubs, anyway,” added Knowlton, found unmistakable signs that the new son indicating a crushed skull. of Pachac still led them. “Yeah. And ol’ Hozy was right on the job as usual,” Tim chimed in. “Lookit this THE signs were few and so small feller. And there’s another one. And a that only the jungle-trained eye of whole handful o’ forty-four shells scattered Rand spied them—a few threads caught on a thorn, which were recognized The two skulls to which he pointed bore as torn from the Peruvian’s raveled shirt¬ the gaping holes of heavy bullets. sleeve or ragged breeches; an exploded .44 “ Good swift action, all right,” agreed the cartridge-shell glinting dully at one side of lieutenant. “Must have been a grand old the path; the marks of a machete-blade on free-for-all for a few minutes. Jiveros, these some severed sapling or vine. The three fellows. Same equipment as the ones we former soldiers, though by no means blind sent west. Some must have gotten away. to trail-signs, would not have spotted these Remember the drums we’ve been hearing things as they labored on. But to Rand they lately?” spoke as plainly as if they had been printed The question was hardly necessary. The placards announcing— mutter of those drums off to the west had “I, Jose Martinez, have passed here.” caused even sharper vigilance by day and And soon they were to find larger and more careful concealment of the nightly grimmer signs of the progress of the deadly- camps. Because of it, no fires had been handed outcast. built for days. Its menacing note had Having caught their wind, the four throbbed in the mind of every man long straightened up. after it had died out of the air. Now each “Feel better, Tim, now that the hourly glanced searchingly about. But nothing growl is out of your system?” Knowlton showed itself. quizzed, in the low tone habitually used. “Uh-huh. Wal, if more of ’em are out “Oh, yeah. Le’s go, feller-idjuts.” they’re prob’ly after Hozy’s gang, not They fell into route-step and plodded watchin’ us,” was Tim’s comforting sug¬ away. gestion. “And they’ll git plenty o’ trouble Over the ridge they filed, Rand’s eyes if they catch up with ’em. Lookit here, ceaselessly scouting ahead and aside. Down there ain’t no hair anywheres around. 01’ into another gully, up another slope. On Patch-Ike must have most enough scalps again, down again, up again. And so on, in that belt o’ his to make a whole shirt by as it seemed always to have been and de¬ now. If he cleans up another bunch o’ stined always to be. Jiveros he can start makin’ a pair o’ pants.” Then, on an upland somewhat longer and Grim smiles answered him. But the same more level than usual, the scout slowed. thought was in each man’s mind—Pachac’s His head slipped forward and he sniffed band must be smaller now than before Tiger River 93 this fight. Was Jose leading the tribe to those of a whip. His toes were gone—every victory over all raiders, or to ultimate one cut off!” destruction? Or was he still alive and lead¬ This murdered man on the ground, as ing? they had just seen, also bore whip-scars. Rand hitched his pack and resumed his And his feet were mutilated. Not one toe vigilant advance. The short column filed remained. onward past the other relics of jungle war¬ CHAPTER XIX fare, dipped down into another valley, and left the battlefield behind. There was no THE GOLDEN MOUNTAINS further talk. For some time they kept on before halting STARING down at that maltreated man, again. Then their pause was caused not by the four muttered in growling under¬ men nor beasts but by weather. The light tones. When they lifted their gaze and faded, a murmur of approaching rain came peered again into the misty depths ahead to them, big drops spattered, and a spank¬ their faces were hard-set. ing downpour set in—the daily shower. “We’ll halt here,” said McKay. “Un¬ Picking a spreading tree, they squatted sling packs.” against the trunk, glad enough to slip their The burdehs dropped. Tim, his blue eyes packs and rest. glittering, slipped the safety-catch off his Suddenly, some distance ahead, a faint breech-bolt and lunged ahead, seeking the yell broke through the slash of falling water. man or men who had speared the scarred It came but once. victim. At its own good time the rain swept on¬ “Dave! Stop him!” added McKay, with¬ ward and the light brightened. The four out raising his voice. arose and advanced, keenly alert. No Rand, also ready for action, loped away sound but the steady drip of moisture came after the mad Irishman. Even when cool, to their ears, and for a while no new sight there was nothing subtle or stealthy about met their eyes. Then Rand stopped short— Tim; and when enraged he charged like an looked—listened—and advanced upon some¬ infuriated bull, seeing red and oblivious of thing at a bend in the trail. rhe disturbance he made. Now he was There, face down, lay a man. He was slapping down his feet and knocking aside naked, black-haired, but apparently a drooping bush noisily enough to warn his white. His hands were dug into the dirt as quarry long before he could catch him. if he had tried to raise himself after falling. Hearing the pursuit, the man—or men— His back was a welter of spear-wounds. ahead would undoubtedly slip into cover Some one had run him down and stabbed and spear him in the back after he passed. him repeatedly in savage ferocity; stabbed But Rand did not attempt to fulfil the him again and again after the death-thrust. command literally and stop him short. He Then the killer had vanished into the rain¬ only sprinted up to him and hoarsely whis- swept jungle, carrying with him the spear. Nowhere around the body now was sign of “Less noise! They’ll dodge you!” any man but the newcomers. The fear of alarming and losing his prey Rand stooped, looking closer. On the slowed Tim down at once, whereas an appeal skin above and below the death-wounds to “go easy” or to “watch yourself” would were scars, not old, left by a whip. have resulted only in a contemptuous snort Turning him over, the four looked down and an increase in speed. Before long he into a gaunt face overgrown by black stopped of his own accord, breathing hard beard—a face of Spanish cast, coupled with and glaring around. certain Indian features; the face of a mes¬ “We must have passed him,” he panted. tizo, Peruvian or Ecuadorian. Their eyes “He ain’t had time to git this far. Skulkin’ ran down his frame. Then every one in the bush back of us, most likely.” started. His companion thought otherwise, but he Back into their minds flashed the words did not say so. The Indian probably had of Jose, describing the crazed Rafael Gon¬ turned back immediately after killing his zales who had reeled into Iquitos with his man and loped away on his back trail, bag of gold: moving without haste but eating up space “His skin was seamed with scars like at every stride. By this time he undoubtedly 94 Adventure was well ahead, unconscious of the fact “And these feet have been toeless a long that white men were behind him. Further time,” added Rand. pursuit now would mean a long chase and “Looks as if the Pachac crowd were side¬ probable ambush. Moreover, the rain had tracked,” said McKay. “Or else this chap washed out any sign of fresh footmarks. came in from some other trail. Come. Common-sense demanded a return to their Let’s move.” companions. Tim and Knowlton bore the dead man to “Probably,” Rand feigned to agree. “No the cairn and covered him. Then they shoul¬ sign up ahead, anyway. Let’s look along dered their packs. The file got under way. back.” Once more in the lead, Rand studied the They looked, and, as the veteran of other damp trail more closely even than usual. jungles expected, found nothing. Return¬ It gave no sign for a time, the rain having ing to the body, they found Knowlton blurred all marks except the fresh boot-heel arranging a rough cairn erf down-blown tracks left by Tim’s feet and his own. Not branches, while McKay watched in all di¬ until they had labored up and down and rections. onward for some distance did he find what “Best we can do,” explained the blond he watched for. Then, reaching a spot man. “He’s, part white, anyway, and I’m where thick interlacing of branches over¬ going to give him what cover there is. Some head had formed a gigantic umbrella and thorn-branches on top and around will keep thrown the downpour aside, he slowed, off the animals.” squinted, and nodded. “What do you make of it, Rod?” asked New footmarks receded ahead—the Rand. “Jiveros didn’t do this. They’d tracks of bare feet bound northward. And have taken his head.” they had been made by more than one man. “Can’t make it out,” admitted the cap¬ ! Rand said nothing until an extra steep tain. “Looks to me like pure savagery. climb made all pause at the crest of another There may be some tribe in here that no¬ bank to recover their breath. When his body’s heard about. Certainly there’s lungs were pumping normally again he something around here that maims men. stated his deduction. This fellow had no gold like that Gonzales “Small gang of killers trailed that fellow chap. Why he should be killed I can’t purposely to get him. When they ran him down they finished him quick and started “Personal enmity, perhaps,” hazarded straight back. Looks as if they were work¬ Knowlton. “Whoever downed him gave him ing under orders and hurried back to report enough stabbing to kill him a dozen times. success. Otherwise they’d have hung A prisoner, possibly, who got gay with an around until the rain let up.” Indian woman or two and then tried to es¬ “Mebbe they did.” cape.” “No. They went at once, regardless. “Prisoner of whom?” Rain has been washing their trail. Good “Don’t ask me. I’m only guessing.” thing they did, too.” “Mebbe if we keep on pluggin’ we’ll learn “Why?” a lot,” Tim morosely suggested. “And “Otherwise we’d be minus one crazy here’s hopin’ I git the guy that done this! Irishman.” I’m sore, I am. Killin’’s bad enough, but “Huh? Say, feller, d’ye think I can’t this cuttin’ off toes and stabbin’ in the handle meself-” back—grrrumph!” “With a bunch of spears in your back?” For a moment all stood squinting again Tim blinked. along the empty track which led into the “Oh. Yeah. I git ye. Lemme charge north. The same thought came to all at past and then heave their harpoons. Uh-huh. Wal, that’s the only way they “Jose’s up ahead somewhere—or his gang could git away with it, I’ll tell the world!” is, or ought to be,” Knowlton voiced it. Nevertheless the belligerent ex-sergeant “Hozy wouldn’t have no hand in nothin’ twitched his shoulders and sneaked a look like this,” Tim remonstrated. “Mebbe his at the forest behind him. He had been shot gang would; but how would this guy git once in the back—in France, by a German past ’em all? Whoever got him was chasin’ infantryman who had pretended surrender and then used a short-barreled pistol—and Tiger River 95 now the old wound seemed to burn. Maybe progress was not too difficult, even for he surmised why Rand had followed him in nearly exhausted men. Doggedly they his recent reckless run and inveigled him kept putting one foot before the other until back. At any rate, his next words seemingly half an hour more had passed. Then the had little connection with his last utter- light ahead grew brighter. The trees seemed to thin out. “Ye’re a good skate, Davey, old sock.” Studying the forest around him, the Davey, the good skate, smiled a little and scout presently spied something and paused. then plodded away. The column stood hunched over, the three As before, he kept watch of the retreating behind looking the questions they had not footprints ahead of him, though not so care¬ the breath to ask. fully now, since he had learned that what he “Dry camp,” puffed Rand. “Getting suspected was true. They were visible only late. Got to stop. Water-trees here. We at intervals, in spots where the ground was can make out.” soft, wet, and protected from the bygone He jerked his head aside. Scanning the rain. At length the rainfall ceased to have timber, the others recognized a tree which any influence on the marks, and the scout they knew but had never yet had to rely knew that hereabouts the killers had on—the huadhuas, or water-tree, a bamboo emerged from the westward-speeding from whose joints could be obtained quarts shower. The tracks faded out, reappeared of clear water. They nodded, dropped farther on, vanished, showed again at packs, staggered, adjusted their balances another place; always spaced the same, to the sudden loss of weight, and looked showing a steady pace, and always follow¬ about for a good place to make camp away ing the mysterious trail toward the mount- from the trail. “Over there,” directed McKay, picking He noticed, too, as automatically as he a place well bushed but not too thick, and breathed, the creeping slant of the shadows near a couple of widely spaced huadhuas. cast by the westering sun. For many weeks Heaving up their packs on one shoulder, —ever since descending from the Andes into they threaded their way into the covert, the lowlands, in fact—this had been their cast about for snakes, found none, and sank only means of gaging the passage of the down for a brief rest. hours; for every watch in the party had Presently Rand arose and, with no ex¬ stopped after a few days in the heavy planation, returned to the trail. Along it moisture charging the air east of the colossal he journeyed toward that thinning of the cordilleras, and thus they had been reduced trees. He was gone for some little time. to the most primitive means of time meas¬ When he returned his eyes glowed. urement. Now he knew that in little more “Didn’t mean to slack on camp work,” than an hour the grueling advance must he said, glancing around at the results of end for that day, if a safe and snug camp the labors of his mates. “Been scouting. for the night was to be made. Come on. Want to show you something.” They followed him. Along the path they Agty THE hour dragged past, filled went, feeling almost fresh again without with nothing but Tim’s summary their back-burdens. The forest grew thin¬ of their previous marching—“jun¬ ner and thinner. All at once they stopped, gle and work and bugs and sweat.” The subdued ejaculations breaking from them. feet of the men behind, and his own as well, They stood at the brink of a sharp de¬ were slipping now on roots and in wet spots, clivity where, years ago, a land-slip had which, earlier in the day, they would have occurred. Under them yawned a sizable cleared without effort; the legs had lost gulf, partly filled with water dammed by resiliency, and the hungry overworn bodies the fallen earth. But, after one glance, were becoming like engines whose fuel was they gave no attention to it. Their gaze burning out. But the present spot was darted off to the northwest. unsuitable for camping—an upland, devoid For the first time in many a weary day of live water. So Rand tramped on, seeking they saw mountains. For the first time a night haven. they looked on the end of their long trail. The ground still rose. It held no more of There in the north, blue-black at the base those heart-breaking gullies, however, and and gleaming golden at the summits rose 96 Adventure the tumbled upheavals of a bygone age— “Well, by thunder, we’ve something to the looping range of the Pastassa, sprawling look forward to now. We’re almost there. outrider of the tremendous column of the The golden mountains!” Andes. The misty atmosphere of the lower “Mebbe,” said Tim. lands, which usually blurred the vista from “Maybe what?” this point, was swept clean for once by “Golden. If they’s gold there, it keeps a stiff north wind now hurling itself at the settin’ tight and don’t go down the river. faces of the four invaders; and in the fast¬ Say, where’s that river, anyways? We lifting light of the dropping sun the glowing lost it.” peaks seemed looming over them, aglitter “Over east somewhere,” said Rand. “It’s with unminted treasure—a promise, a lure, no good to us any more. This trail is the which might prove false or true. thing to follow.” Somewhere beyond that range, draining “If there’s no gold, Tim,” challenged its northern slopes, the Curaray flowed Knowlton, “where did Gonzales get his? down its golden bed to the Napo. Some¬ He came out of here—scarred and crippled where beyond its western segment stretched like the fellow we met today.” the river valley of the Pastassa, homeland “Uh-huh. Wal, here’s hopin’. We’ve had of the head-shrinkers whose roving outposts a run for our money—now I want to see the twice had. come into the trail of the four. money for the run.” Somewhere ahead in that great packet of “If it isn’t there we’ll keep on going until the mountains that trail must end at— we find some,” smiled McKay. “It’s only what? The grim place where maimed men two or three hundred miles farther to the went mad? The final port of all the missing Llanganati. There’s gold there—if you men of thq,Tigre Yacu? can find it.” Whatever might wait in the few remain¬ “Yeah? Only two-three hundred miles, ing traverses between here and the cor¬ huh? Totin’ a pack all the way, o’ course?” dillera, it now was masked by the rolling “Of course. But when you get there all jungle and the long shadows thrown from you have to do is to find the Incas’ lake and the western wall. Below the sunlit summits get out the gold.” stretched a twilight land wherein showed no “Uh-huh. And all I got to do to git from sign of man; an expanse which, for all the here to there tomorrer mornin’ is to tune up eye could discern, might have lain untrod¬ me airyplane and let her rip. Talk to me den by human foot since first it rose out of about it after breakfast, cap. I’m tired the waters of the vast inland sea. Only the vague path still leading Onward, only the “What’s this yarn about the Incas’ lake, bodies of the mutilated man and of the Rod?” asked Rand. “Same old stuff you head-hunters who had come down it, proved hear in Peru?” that men moved somewhere under that “Same stuff. Incas threw billions of gold baffling jungle cover girt by the mountain into an artificial lake on the side of the rim. Llanganati during the Conquest. Good McKay, first to move, drew out his com¬ many men have lost their lives trying to pass. The quivering needle verified the find it. Still, it seems to ring truer than sun-slant; they were gazing north-north¬ most of those Inca-lake stories. west. Returning it to his pocket, he re¬ “They tell about one fellow named Val- marked in a matter-of-fact tone: verde—Spaniard, of course—who was poor “Better move. It’ll be dark soon.” as dirt and went native. A while after he Rand, who had looked out at the scene took his Indian wife he became enormously once before, faced about promptly. Knowl- rich. Girl’s father showed him how to get at ton, his blue eyes shining with the light of the Inca gold and helped him raise a lot of it. the dreamer who sees his vision at last com¬ He went back to Spain, and when he died he ing true, stood a moment longer before told the king of Spain how to get at the rest reluctantly turning away. Tim pivoted of the treasure. But it’s still there.” lazily on one heel, yawned, and agreed: Tim’s eyes began to glisten. This was a “Yeah. I’m hungry.” new tale—a tale of lost treasure hundreds of Through the thickening shadows they miles away—far more alluring than the pos¬ filed back to their covert. There Knowlton sibility of equal treasure within a few spoke. leagues. Inca gold! The dream of every Tiger River 97

Andes adventurer for more than three But the four were not lounging in the care¬ centuries! less attitudes customary to men relaxing in “And nobody’s got it?” he demanded. the languor induced by food and tobacco. “No. Expeditions don’t come back. Each leaned a little forward, his feet under Even one led by a priest—Padre Longo—■ him'ready for a sudden upward jump. Each didn’t come back. After that, nobody had faced inward toward his companions, but the nerve to try for it.” his eyes kept swinging back and forth in “Gee! Say, if we don’t find nothin’ here vigilant watch of the forest beyond the man le’s keep on goin’! We can git there some¬ opposite. time—if our cartridges hold out'—and it’ll Between his knees, butt on the ground take somethin’ gosh-awful to lick this gang and left hand curled around the barrel, each after we land there. What d’ye say, fellers?” held an upright rifle. And every man’s The others laughed. Pessimistic a few pistol hung ready for a swift draw. minutes ago, croaking over the lack of gold “If the cusses would only show them¬ in the Tigre—and now all afire to dare hun¬ selves!” complained Tim. “If we could only dreds of miles of cordillera in chasing a new get a look at ’em oncet! They been trailin’ rainbow; that was Tim Ryan all over. along with us the last two days, and we dang “We’ll see what’s here first,” chuckled well know it. But never a hair will they McKay? “Let’s eat.” show. Me, I’m ready for a scrap any ol’ Silence fell on the darkening camp, broken time, and the sooner the quicker. But this only by masticatory noises and gulping of thing of expectin’ a spear or a poison arrer water previously drained from the huadhuas. in me ribs any minute and never seein’ me Then across the jungle roof swept the sunset man—I don’t like it.” noise of birds and animals, announcing The tense attitudes of the others showed night. Gloom enveloped them. They ate that they felt exactly the same way. For on, wordless. two days, as Tim said, they had been under All at once they stopped chewing and that strain—the knowledge that they were leaned forward. On the wings of the wind escorted by flitting Things which they could still pouring out of the north came a new always feel, could sometimes hear, but could sound. It was not the roar of a tigre, the never see—an unceasing harassment which death-scream of stricken.animal or man, the wore on their nerves more than half a dozen snarl of jungle battle, the report of a gun. deadly fights. For two nights, standing Any of these would have held them alert guard in two-hour shifts, they had felt the for a time; but the thing they did hear made invisible Something close by, ready to strike them squat motionless as frozen men until yet never striking. Even now they were it ceased. Even after it died they held that positive that the stealthy movements which same rigid pose, staring dumbly into the they heard from time to time were not those dark. of animals; that the slight waving of a Deep, slow, doleful as a requiem for the bush here and there was not caused by a lost men who had never returned from their quest into this fastness—a bell had tolled. “Next time I see those ferns over yonder move, I’m going to shoot into them,” CHAPTER XX breathed Knowlton, eyes fixed on something beyond Rand. DEAD MAN’S LAND “Hold in, Merry!” warned McKay. “That’s a rookie trick.” "^TOONDAY sun stabbed down through “I don’t give a whoop! They’re there, and the branches stretching over the if they won’t start it I’m willing to.” curved crest of a long, rambling ridge. In “Take a brace, man! You’ll hit nothing. scattered splotches it lighted up sections of a You’ll start more than you can finish. faintly marked path leading along the up¬ Don’t be an old woman!” land. Filtering through tall ferns beside the “I’ve got a theory about this thing,” path, it sprayed over bearded men in torn, stated Rand, as calmly as if he did not feel jungle-stained clothing who sat on their Death lurking at his shoulder-blades. packs and smoked. “These fellows, whoever they are, are willing Another fireless meal had just been fin¬ to keep us coming along. They have a use ished, and the usual cigarets were aglow. for us—up ahead somewhere; up where that 98 Adventure

bell rings. If you really want to start some¬ “Yeah? How d’ye know they are? We thing, start back along the trail instead of ain’t seen a sign of ’em lately. Ask ol’ ahead. I’ll bet you wouldn’t get ten feet Eagle-Eye Rand. They ain’t nothin’ to away.” show they ever got this far.” McKay nodded. Rand shook his head half an inch. Tim “Remember what that toeless chap’s back spoke truth. looked like,” he added. “Then where did they go, if not up here?” At the memory of that red welter the Knowlton persisted. “There’s been no sign lieutenant twitched his shoulders. that they turned off.” “While ye’re springin’ theories, I got one “Where’d the other guys go that come up o’ me own,” Tim hinted darkly. here? How do we know what got ’em?” “Well?” There was a silence. Now and then a “Wal, I ain’t much of a hand to believe in fern nodded, a slight creeping sound things that ain’t. Jest the same, they’s floated to them, but no life showed. some missin’ men up here. They’ll keep on “Theories are no good,” bluntly declared bein’ missin’—they’re dead! And they’re McKay. “But I’ve got one too. That bell the guys that’s round us now!” belongs to some old Spanish mission; those “Ghosts? Nonsense!” old Jesuits would go anywhere—the more “Mebbe. But why can’t we see ’em? forsaken the place, the better. The descend¬ Why don’t they cough or spit or breathe ants of their converts are still here. Maybe loud like live men? Who pulls that there they’re fanatics and practise a few fancy funeral bell at night? How come a bell up torments on fellows who don’t come up to here, anyways? I tell ye, it ain’t a real bell! their requirements. Remember what was These things ain’t real men! And it’s that said about the wheel awaiting us.” bell, them dead men snoopin’ round, that Another silence. Then Knowlton said: drives live men crazy up here! If I was “Sounds more reasonable than Tim’s alone here long I’d be ravin’ meself.” nightmare. That might explain the toe¬ There was no levity in his voice. And, cutting and the whip-scars, too. If that’s though the others tried to laugh, their mirth it, I’m out of luck. My folks were Bap¬ was forced. Despite himself, every man had tists.” fallen under the uncanny spell of the deep “Mine were Episcopalians,” from Rand. jungle during the weeks on the weird “Presbyterians,” from McKay. Tigre Yacu. And it is a fact, as experienced “Me, I’m s’posed to be Catholic, but jungle-rovers know, that in the vast tropic I’m a danged poor one,” finished Tim. wilderness are things which none can explain. “ ’Twouldn’t do me no good, anyways, if I Sounds like the clang of an iron bar, got caught by a bunch that tried to ram where there is no bar nor iron; the ringing religion into me with a hot poker. I’d git of a bell where no bell could possibly be; mad and tell ’em I was a Turk or somethin’. a penetrating, nerve-destroying hiss like But what’s the odds? They ain’t religion that of a huge steam-pipe, hundreds of miles enough in this hard-boiled crowd to hurt from steam; these and other sounds, which none of us, or help us either. Wait a minute, the Indians ascribe to demons, coupled with though. Mebbe I can git a rise out o’ these the sudden and absolute disappearance of guys. Watch.” men who leave no trace of their fate—these He rose, facing a spot where he had de¬ are a few of the unearthly occurrences in the tected several unexplainable dips of a bush. great green abyss beyond the Andes which Slowly he made the sign of the cross. confound logic, reason, and sense. And these After a minute he made it again. No four were overworn by hardship. sound or movement answered him. But none except straightforward Tim “Nope. Yer dope’s no good, cap. The would admit, even to himself, that the cross don’t mean nothin’ here. Now le’s see weird espionage of those invisible Things was if a li’l Irish nerve will git us anything.” undermining his scorn of the supernatural. “If there were such a thing as a Dead WITH steady tramp he advanced Man’s Land, and if this were it,” the lieu¬ at the spot he had watched. Ever tenant doggedly combated, “you’d never so slightly, the bush dipped again. catch Pachac and his people going up there. A faint rustle, hardly audible, came from They’re still ahead.” beyond it. Eyes narrowed, jaw out, the Tiger River 99

ex-sergeant plowed into it and stopped. in long grades, sloped away again, lifted After peering around he backed out again. and ran level, dipped at another easy slant, His broad face was not so florid as before. but still remained a ridge. At times, as “They ain’t no sign here! No footmarks the forest growth thinned, the marchers —no busted leaves—nothin’! By cripes, it’s glimpsed the sky on either side. But they like I tell ye—these guys ain’t human!” saw nothing of what lay out beyond those The others, who also had risen and stood occasional side-openings, nothing of what ready for action, glanced around and at one waited ahead at the end of the upland— another. Knowlton shrugged. and nothing of the Things trooping along in “You fellows have all sprung your theo¬ the cover at the sides of the path. ries. Now here’s mine,” he announced. As the hours passed, no halt was made. “We’ll get to the bottom of things if we None was needed on this ungullied upland, keep going. And we’ll get nowhere stopping where no sharp declivities had to be scaled here. Let’s go.” and the lungs functioned as rhythmically as With this pronouncement every one the feet swung. Mile after mile crept away agreed. behind until Tim’s unspoken thought was One by one they slung their packs—one reflected in the minds of his comrades: by oije, so that three always could maintain “We’re really travelin’ now! We’d ought their readiness for anything. The donning to git somewheres by night!” of their burdens now was not so difficult as And get somewhere they did. At length, it had been a few days ago, for the men were with an abruptness that halted them short, hardened to them and the packs were they emerged into open air. They dug in lighter—too light, in fact, so far as their their heels and gave back, smitten with food content was concerned. But Tim, sudden qualms at the pit of the stomach. though anxious to be moving away from the Almost under their feet yawned a gulf. masking ferns, could not forbear his cus¬ A sheer drop of hundreds of feet—a wood¬ tomary half-serious growl. ed country below—a tremendous mountain “Dead guys don’t have to git hump¬ wall confronting them a half-mile away; backed luggin’ these blasted packs, any¬ these were the things their startled minds ways. If these tellers are goin’ to knock me registered in the first flashing instant of in¬ in the head I hope it’ll come quick, so’s I stinctive recoil. Sq long had their vision can make a li’l profit on it. I’d hate to git been confined by the dense tropic growth killed jest as I git to a place where I can git that the sudden burst into emptiness rid o’ this thing for good.” shocked their brains and sickened their With a final heave of the shoulders to bodies. Dizzily thfey wavered backward. swing the weight into the right place, he For many seconds they hung there in a fell into his position in file and took up close-drawn knot, while eyes and nerves and' the step. The column plodded away, heads equilibrium readjusted themselves. At moving from side to side in constant watch. length, they cautiously edged forward. A Around a huge tree it wound, and into the little back from the brink they peered northward trail it vanished. downward, studying the green carpet far As it disappeared, a louder rustle sounded under them. among the ferns and bushes, which swayed It seemed a solid mass of jungle, unbroken more abruptly than before. Then they by any clearing, unlined by river or road— stood motionless again, and the sound died. a somber abyss wherein might live weird The encompassing Things also had moved monsters spawned in the hideous Mesozoic age, but where the foot of man never had Foot by. foot, stride by stride, the four trodden. It curved away at both ends, its forged onward along the curving ridge-top. continuation cut off from the eye by jutting Inch by inch the sun-shadows crept east¬ outcrops of the wall on which they stood. ward. Hour by hour the hot afternoon A yawning pit—nothing more. grew old. And as steadily as the little file Out of it, on the farther side, towered the swung ahead, as smoothly as the sun rolled mountain—a huge bulk, densely overgrown in its course, the escort of silent Dead Men in its lower reaches, clad more thinly up kept pace on either flank of the advancing above, nearly bald at the top. Along its side force. showed no indication of life except an oc¬ The ridge seemed to have no end. It rose casional pair of parrots winging their way IOO Adventure from point to point. Grim, forbidding, it a snaky stare. The poisoned points neither brooded over the chasm as if guarding its lifted nor lowered, poising as if truly held in fastness from invasion. dead hands. Only the regular rise and fall Up and down the four studied it, and of the breathing lungs under the gaunt ribs back and forth along the gulf they swung proved that the Things were living men. their gaze. At the first appalled glance the Rand, without moving his lips, spoke drop had seemed to be at least a thousand nasally from a corner of his mouth. feet, but now that they had steadied them¬ “Drop flat and shoot from the ground. selves they estimated it at not more than Spears may go over us. Give the word, six hundred. The mountain shooting up Rod.” beyond might be three thousand feet high; But McKay did not speak that word. possibly several hundred more. How long Instead, he took his eyes from the green the curving valley might be they could not menace and glanced behind. Then he coolly tell. But there seemed to be no reason for turned his back, stepped to the extreme exploring it, nor any way- edge, and moved along it, looking down. Tim drew in his breath sharply. The “Not necessary,” he said after a moment. others glanced at him and found him looking “Trail goes down here. We’ll follow it.” over one shoulder, ashen-faced. “Trail?” Knowlton echoed in amazement. “Oh cripes, I knowed it!” he breathed. “Where?” “Here they are, and they’re dead as ——1” “Rock stairs drop to a shelf. Pretty They whirled. At last they saw the risky, but possible. Not much worse than Things. some places we struck in the Andes. Come A bare spear’s-throw away, blocking the and look.” trail, stood men. But such men! Their ribs Gingerly the blond man backed. Tim and projected. Their arms seemed bones. Their Rand maintained their wary watch of the eyes gleamed hollowly under matted black Things. hair. And their skins were green. McKay pointed a little to the left of a Green as the jungle around them, they segment of the ragged edge. There, as he were. Had they moved and slipped into had said, a flight of crude steps jutted from the bush, they would have vanished like the sheer face of the precipice—perhaps a specters. But they did not move. At dozen of them, widening as they descended least a dozen strong, they stood there in a to a narrow shelf leading away to the west¬ solid body, holding javelins poised at then- ward. The top stair was hardly two feet shoulders. The points of those spears were wide, the shelf not more than four—a pre¬ long, saw-edged, and dark with the stain of carious passage flanked on one side by the poison. One cast, one scratch from those upstanding wall and on the other by nothing •Venomed edges, and the whites would be at all. doomed. “Ugh!” muttered the lieutenant. “Dan¬ Fronted by death, backed by death, the gerous even for an Indian. Impossible for four stood like statues. Then one of the us. The slightest bump of a pack against ghastly figures slowly lifted its left arm. that rough rock throws you out and down. Its green forefinger pointed beyond the And our boots will slip on those slanting trapped men. With dread significance, that stones. Can’t be done.” finger turned down. In the soulless eyes of “Got to do it, or end our trail here.” the creature was a command. It was stark truth. This was the trail. “Oh -!” groaned Tim. “We got to To quit it here meant, at best, only a long, jump off!” sour retreat to the canoes and back down CHAPTER XXI the Tigre. At worst, it meant death from the poisoned spears still closing their path. INTO THE ABYSS And there was little chance that all those spears would miss their marks. TVT OTIONLESS, wordless, breathless, “Once we’re on that shelf, we can travel,” the other three stood facing the Knowlton conceded. “But getting there is gruesome things blocking the only avenue the job.” of retreat from the brink. “Take off packs. Take off boots. Go _ The green arm pointing to death hung down backward, easing the pack after you rigid; the cavernous eyes remained fixed in with your hands, step by step. If the pack Tiger River IOI slips let it go overboard. I’ll try it out have poured a devastating fire into those first.” momentarily unready foes; might even, by Stepping back a little from the edge, he fast work, have wiped them out completely. nodded to the green men and pointed to the But none moved. All watched the weird perilous stairs. The spear-heads wavered creatures in wonder. Soon some of the slightly, sinking a little lower. McKay un¬ green faces turned back. In them now was slung his pack, sat down, and began unlac¬ a trace of human emotion: Fear. ing his boots. “Guess those drums don’t belong to these “Tim—Dave—get ready,” he urged. greenies,” said Knowlton. “They’re Jivero “Never mind those fellows. They won’t do drums, undoubtedly, and they seem to spell anything just now.” trouble for our genial hosts. We’re not His calm voice expressed more confidence going into Jivero country down below, then. than he felt. Yet he was reasonably sure That’s something.” that no attack would be made unless pre¬ “We’re goin’ into Dead Man’s country, cipitated by his own party. These green I’m thinkin’,” croaked Tim. “This here men, he reflected, could have attacked at hole is where all the rest of ’em are waitin’ any time during the past two days, and with for us. I wonder if we’ll look like these greatet safety to themselves. Their ob¬ guys in a li’l while.” ject, as Rand had said, seemed to be to herd “They’re a good Irish color, Tim,” the the invaders onward, not to kill unless they captain grimly joked. “Maybe old Saint attempted retreat. What fate waited be¬ Pat is waiting for you down below. Here yond those stairs he could not even surmise. goes to find out.” But they could hardly be trapped in a more “Saint Pete, ye mean. Waitin’ to gimme hopeless position than the present one; and a li’l harp the minute I fall offen them crazy they still retained their weapons. rock steps. But I don’t want no harp yet— “Ooch! Sufferin’ goats!” blurted Tim, Hang tight, cap, and go slow, for the love when he saw what must be done. “Go down o’ Mike!” that? I’ll fight this gang ^bare-handed McKay was dragging his pack to the first!” edge. Cautiously but coolly he laid it at “Then you’ll fight alone,” retorted the the top step, turned backward, let himself captain, tugging at the first boot. “The down on hands and knees, straightened a rest of us are going down.” leg and felt for the second stair. Finding Rand said nothing. He studied the it, he slid over and worked down until he hazardous path, clamped his jaws tighter, had his knees firmly braced below. Then, and began preparations for descent. Tim very carefully, he drew the pack toward looked at him, at the others, at the green him and tested its balance on the rock men; opened and shut his mouth; mumbled above. dolefully, and took off his pack. “Too heavy,” he decided. “And too As McKay arose, with boots slung around wide. Haul it back, will you, Dave?” his neck and rifle looped across his shoul¬ Rand dragged it back, and the captain ders, a sound from the southwest throbbed rose. Once more on the top, he began un¬ across the silence. It was the far-off boom strapping the roll. of drums. “You were right, Merry—we can’t handle “Huh! They’re at it again,” commented these things,” he granted. “Every man Tim. “Same ol’ message stuff we been take what he can carry in his clothes. Get hearin’— Hullo! What ails these dead all the cartridges and matches, and what¬ guys?” ever else you can tote without making your¬ At the rumble of the drums the green self clumsy. Leave the rest.” men had started. Now they had turned “How about grub?” queried Tim. their heads and were looking back into the “One meat-strip apiece. Down below jungle. They stirred, lifted their spears we’ll have to shoot our grub or starve. higher in an involuntary gesture of defense, Don’t overload, or you’ll be twanging that drew a little closer together as if threatened harp in a few minutes.” with attack. For the moment they seemed Faced by that alternative, the four picked to have forgotten the whites. from the opened packs what they could If the adventurers had snatched the safely stow in pockets, shirts, and empty opportunity quickly enough they might boots, plus their hammocks, the two short 102 Adventure axes, and the light table-gun, which could fish out of water, dripping with'cold sweat, be stuffed under belts or taken down by- he found himself beside them. hand. The remaining duffle was ruefully “Wal, I—huh—come through without cast into the edge of the bush. The green no—huh—harp in me hand,” he panted, men watched wolfishly, but made no move grasping at the wall. “But I wouldn’t do it toward the abandoned equipment. again for a—huh—million dollars. I’m sick to me stummick!” AGAIN McKay essayed the peril¬ “Stand still a minute,” counseled Rand. ous slant, going backward as before, “Watch Merry come down.” keeping his eyes on the rock stairs Knowlton already was backing over the as he passed downward, feeling his. way be¬ edge. He threw a final glance at the green low with sockless feet. Once his rifle-butt men, who showed no sign of intending to hit a projection on the wall, jolting him follow. suddenly. His mouth twisted, and for a “So long, you fragrant hunks of green second his eyes swerved outward. But he cheese!” he mocked. gripped the stair above, raised himself a bit, The menacing figures spoke no word. swung his hips somewhat away from the Their lusterless eyes showed no glint of wall, towered himself again inch by inch— anger at his taunting grin. Only their and the gun scraped past. A few more care¬ spear-heads, now almost resting on the ful moves, and he stood on the shelf. ground, lifted a little and pointed at his “One down,” he announced, his voice face. a little husky. “Who comes next?” Knowlton dropped his eyes to the rocks “I,” volunteered Rand. And, grimly and concentrated his attention on the dead¬ steady, he made the descent without mis- ly serious work of getting down. And now the hand of Death, hovering close over the “Lemme go now,” begged Tim. “Me head of each man traversing that treacher¬ feet are gittin’ colder all the time. If I ous spot, showed itself. wait any longer me legs will be stiff to me Perhaps it was because he was last in line and anxious to join his waiting comrades Knowlton, who stood ready to go, drew and move on; perhaps it was a touch of reck¬ back and made room for the red man—who lessness; or perhaps the sloping stones were now was not red, but distinctly pale—to slightly slippery from the passage of three pass. Tim got on all fours, fumbled to a perspiring men. At any rate, the lieutenant footing on the first step, and drew a long descended just a trifle too fast. Reaching breath. for the fourth step, he slipped. “Here goes nothin’!” he quavered, trying His unbooted feet caught the stair and to grin. “And may God have mercy on me clung. But the butt of the rifle on his back soul!” hit solidly against the same ugly projection His last utterance came from the bottom which had caught McKay’s. The barrel of his heart. slapped sidewise and struck the blond head “Slow and easy does it, old top,” the a vicious blow. lieutenant warned. “Take all the time in He lurched out toward the chasm, dazedly the world. Don’t look down. Just ease clutching at the step above. Then, balanced yourself down slow—slow—that’s the way! on the utter edge of the abyss, he lay limp. Get a good foot-hold every time. Slow— Another movement, a slip of the gun, a easy—it widens out at every step, you shifting of something in pockets or belt, would turn him over and slide him into the Set-jawed, glassy-eyed, Tim inched down. green maw gaping below. For him the passage really was harder With a hoarse croak Tim jumped up¬ than for any of the others—he was too ward. Tim, who had confessed cold feet; broad and stocky. His whole left side hung Tim, still actually ill from dread; Tim, who out over the abyss, and his muscular but would not touch those stairs again for a short legs lacked the reach of McKay’s, or fortune, sprang up them like a mountain even of Rand’s. The pair below watched goat. His body slithered against the face of every movement, coached him at every the precipice. His big hands clutched, one downward reach, warned him of every pro¬ at the edge of a step, the other at his lieu¬ jection. And at last, shaky, gasping like a tenant’s slack shirt. In one smooth, steady Tiger River 103 haul he slid the stunned man in toward the waterless bay among steep green mountain- cliff. slopes, the trees were thinned out at the And while the two below stood frozen, top of a curving knoll. In that opening, unable to help, he worked his own way back¬ dingy gray, showed the lines of stone walls ward and slipped the reviving man down and a house—masked by intervening tree- stair after stair. He did not look to see tops, but unmistakable. Whether men now where he stepped. He planted his feet with dwelt there, what they did and why, were unerring surety, grasped tiny projections questions which only closer approach could without seeing them, balanced himself as answer; but men had been there—men who lightly as a fly. In hoarse tones he muttered built with stone—and not so long ago. over and over: Otherwise the jungle would have swallowed “Jest lay still, looey. Lay limp and we’ll up the place. make it. We’re most down and goin’ strong. Down toward it the high trail now dipped That’s the boy! Lay still, oP feller, la-a-ay at a stiff grade for perhaps three hundred still!” yards. Then it vanished into trees, and at And he reached the shelf, laid his man out that point the precipice also ended; the straight beside the wall, and grinned gray¬ tree-clad slope was a slope only, not a drop. faced-at him. Then he wavered, clutched The path must wind on down that green at the crag beside him, and sank down. slant and then swing out to the house- And for the next few minutes he was abso¬ capped knoll. Was that knoll the end of lutely and utterly sick. the trail, the end of all adventure, the lair “By-!” breathed McKay, who seldom of the dread ogre who swallowed missing swore. “I’ve seen men awarded the D. S. C. men? for deeds not half as brave as that!” Suddenly the watchers started. A sullen, But when Tim sat up again and weakly low, awful murmur was shooting toward mopped his face, he had a reward worth far them from the farther mountains. In¬ more to him than government medals— stantly the solid rock under them quivered a silent grip of the hand and a straight look and swayed. in the eyes from his “looey,” alive and once “Quake! Down!” barked McKay, falling more ready to carry on. No words were prone. said. No words could have said what eye The others dropped flat, hugging the spoke to eye in that long quiet minute there stone. It moved sickeningly, became still. on the face of the wall. A few seconds passed. It shuddered again, “Let’s go,” said Rand. was quiet. Carefully they turned about, and slowly Up from the depths rolled several clangs they filed along the trail, hugging the rock. of a deep-toned bell. From somewhere Up at the top of the stair the green men below, seeming very near, broke a grinding stood watching them go. Presently they roar followed by a great thumping crash. drew back, and for the first time sounds The rock quivered once more, but this time broke from them. With animal grunts, as if from a blow. they fell upon the stale food left behind by After a few minutes of waiting for another the white men. tremor, the prostrate men sat up and looked On along the narrow shelf the four ad¬ around. Nothing seemed changed. venturers trudged, looking down into the “Pretty easy,” remarked Rand. “I’d dizzy depths no more than they had to. It hate to be caught up here in a hard one.” led on and on, widening at times, narrowing “Something dropped, and mighty close,” again, now roofed by overhangs of stone, said Knowlton. He crept to the edge and again open to the high blue sky. Under peered down. “Not along this side,” he a jutting outcrop it burrowed, and there went on. “Maybe around the corner.” it turned abruptly to the left. The marchers Rising, he stepped to the other side. had rounded a shoulder of the hill which had “Did ye hear the bell ring? ’Twas down cut off their view to the west and south. there by that house,” said Tim. “That There, on a natural platform beyond the same dead-man’s-bell we been hearin’-” corner, they halted with sudden murmurs. “Great guns!” Knowlton’s voice broke in. The jungle below was no longer without “Look here!” signs of man. As they joined him he pointed downward, Perhaps a half-mile farther on, in a wide then out along the shelf where they had just 104 Adventure passed. Below, a great chunk of the wall “Aw, we ain’t got far to go,” objected grinned up from among crushed trees. Tim. “And mebbe they’s some water Beyond, a long gap yawned in the face of ahead—I’m bone dry. And that low-lived the cliff. snake’s right round here somewheres yet. “This trail’s closed forever,” declared Le’s go a li’l ways.” McKay. “Unless we can find some new His only answer was the sound of three way out, we’re in for life.” pairs of jaws biting into the last of the smoked-meat supply. The others had ac¬ cepted McKay’s dictum. With no further CHAPTER XXII protest, he straightway clamped his jaws THE END OF THE TRAIL in a meat-strip of his own. The meal was brief, both because of the UNSET, blood-red, burned behind the meagerness of the provender and the speed mountains. with which it was bolted. No man squatted Against its fiery flare the great misshapen or sat, for no man knew how many reptiles bulks loomed dusky green above the sinister might be within striking distance. In lieu gulf in which stood the stone-crowned knoll. of water, each finished with a cigaret. In that chasm the shadows were welling “No need of going without a smoke,” rapidly upward toward the top of the east¬ said Knowlton. “We’re in, we can’t get ern heights. Moving along the bottom of the out, and anybody who spies my cigaret is bowl, the four invaders found everything welcome to come a-running.” around them growing dim under the jungle “Me, I’d like to see somethin’ cornin’—■ canopy. somethin’ alive, I mean,” declared Tim. They had swung down the remainder of “This place is too dang spooky. Ain’t seen the steep trail without mishap, and without nothin’ here but one snake, ain’t heard meeting any living thing. Soon after nothin’-” entering the trees the path had begun to Like a blow, the boom of a bell struck his zigzag back and forth along the steep, but words and knocked them into nothing. no longer precipitous, side of the towering It came from the right. Solemnly it hill; and now it had become merely a suc¬ tolled a dozen times. Then it was still. cession of easy curves rambling on toward No other sound followed, save the usual the walls guarding the house hidden beyond night noises from the gloomy depths around. the trees. Along it the file was passing at No human voice spoke. No dog barked. good speed, each man still carrying his boots No cat or cCrw or other domestic animal around his neck. As always, Rand led, called. No squeak or rattle or bump or scanning all ahead and aside. footfall betokened the presence of men in Abruptly he halted, jumped back, collided that house somewhere near by. Even the hard with McKay, who now was second in jungle noises here seemed weird, ghostly, line. Before him in the dimness a sinuous echoing hollowly among the surrounding form moved slowly out of the trail. heights. Tim shivered. “Snake,” he said. “Nearly stepped on After a prolonged silence Rand spoke. him. Guess I’ll put on my boots.” “A queer hole. Good thing we stopped With more alacrity than caution, the here. We were heading into the woods. others followed his example. The odds and Path curves back, no doubt, but we’d ends of equipment which had been carried have blundered straight on.” in the battered footgear were shaken tum¬ Nobody replied. All stood waiting for bling on the dirt, and every man hastily the moonlight. jammed his feet into the leather legs. By At length it came. The obscurity grew the time the lacing was completed and they less dense. Silvery patches of light ap¬ were once more protected to the knee, the peared here and there on the earth. The swiftly deepening shadows had grown so eyes of the waiting men, already dilated dense that it was difficult to find the articles wide by the darkness, made out clearly the they had dropped. And the path was swal¬ shapes of the near-by trees, but not the lowed in gloom. path. Vague even in daylight, that trail “Better halt here and eat,” said McKay. now would not again be visible before sun- “There’ll be a good big moon in a little while. Can’t see our way now.” But McKay moved over into a little spot Tiger River *°5 of light, studied his compass, and laid a outside the walls of some medieval robber course for Rand. baron’s castle, likely at any moment to be “West-northwest,” he said. “That’ll spied by mail-clad sentries above and rid¬ fetch us out near that bell.” dled with long shafts or dragged in and Rand, after contemplating his compass thrown to rot in some noisome dungeon. and the trees, nodded and dropped the in¬ Knowlton caught himself listening for the strument back into his pocket. Now that he grind of steel-shod feet above, the clink of had the direction firmly fixed in mind, his armor, the rattle of a sword. Then he smiled old jungle instinct would carry him straight, at his own folly. But the smile faded and despite necessary windings, without another his eyes widened. No martial sound came consultation of the magnetized needle. He to him; but another sound did. turned and stepped away. Slowly the party followed his lead, travel¬ fjTg| SOMEWHERE farther down, be- ing in slants and detours, but ever swinging KQH yond the wall, a vaguely confused back to the prescribed course as surely as 2 murmur arose—a noise which might Rand’s eyes were glued to his compass in¬ have been caused by shuffling feet combined stead of roving all about. They slumped with low voices—a sound as if men, or pigs, into,muddy spots, turned sharp to dodge or both, were moving sluggishly about. boulders, straddled over down trees, and in “Cripes! The dead guys are gittin’ up places chopped their way with the ma¬ out o’ their graves!” breathed Tim. chetes. Nowhere did they find flowing In truth, it seemed so. If living men water. Their thirst, already keen, became moved on the other side of those stones they acute discomfort as the meat they had had little energy. There was no calling out, swallowed demanded liquid. But none no song or laugh—only a dead, brutish sound spoke of it, or of anything else. which neither increased nor died out of the All at once the trees opened. They halted at the edge of the forest, looking up at the McKay motioned along the wall and stole cleared knoll. away. The others followed. Down almost They saw only stumps, low shrubs, scat¬ to the end they passed, and there they tered trees of great girth, and, at the top, paused again. From across the barrier that a high stone wall, above which protruded gruesome sound still came, more clearly the outline of a long low roof. For a time now—grunting voices, bestial snores, the they studied the wall, seeking some moving faint slither of feet passing about as if drag¬ figure, but seeing none. Under the cold ging in utter weariness. Something else moon the hard gray pile fronted the wilder¬ came over, too—a rank odor as of an un¬ ness like a forgotten sepulcher guarding its clean pen. dead. The captain gaged the wall—a good Toward it the hard-bitten little column twelve feet high—as if meditating an at¬ advanced, instinctively changing formation tempt to look over by climbing on the to a line of skirmishers. Each man picked shoulders of some one of his companions. his own way around tree or bush-clump, but But he decided otherwise and once more none fell behind or went far ahead of his moved on, stopping again at the end, or comrades. Several times they paused, lis¬ what had seemed the end, of the rock line. tening and watching; then moved on. It proved to be a comer. Soon they stood under the old wall itself, Around that corner the wall receded for looking along its length. Nowhere could perhaps forty feet, then turned again and they see an opening. For a hundred feet or ran back to a sharp uplift of the ground. more it ran straight north and south, then There it merged with the shadows and the ended. Beyond rose the black mountains, rising earth. It looked like a passageway looking down in insensate savagery at the leading into some tunnel, which in turn line of stones taken from them by hands now might run back for many yards into the moldering and piled up to bar out what¬ steep slopes beyond. The spies had little ever foes might come, and at the four lost doubt that such was the case. men who, all chance of return destroyed, The captain shook his head, signifying stood under them and looked about. that further progress in this direction now To the men themselves came a queer feel¬ would lead them nowhere. They retraced ing that they were back in some former life. their steps. To the other end of the wall 106 Adventure they passed, and around the corner they the Indians swung in behind, muzzles turned without reconnoitering. Then they pointing at the white men’s spines. stopped in their tracks. Some distance beyond, a tree cast a deep, Drawn up in a close-ranked body, stolid wide shadow on the wall. In that shadow and silent as if they had been patiently the Americans found a stout gate of rough awaiting the whites, stood ten men. Each timbers, standing ajar. Three more of the held a rifle. Each rifle was aimed at a white brute-faced aborigines, also armed with man’s breast. And each eye behind the gun- guns, stood there. These stepped in, swing¬ sights glinted as coldly as that of a snake. ing the gate wide enough to admit two They were Indians all. But they were not abreast. When red men and white were green men; not Jiveros; not men of the all inside, the big barrier was bumped shut. vanished Pachac. They were brutes; cop¬ Heavy bars thumped into place. pery brutes in human form. Though the The whites, looking rapidly about them, lower parts of their faces were half-hidden saw the front wall of the big house; a bell by the leveled rifles, their low foreheads, suspended from a stout tripod near at hand; beady eyes, and bestial expressions were and a sort of scaffolding running along the clear enough in the moonlight. They were inside of the stockade walls, about four more merciless than animals. And they feet below the top. The house-front was held the lives of the intruders in the crooks pierced by a few high and extremely narrow of their trigger fingers. windows—scarcely more than loop-holes— Yet, after the first shock of surprize, the and a wide doorway in which solid double four looked them over coolly. One thing doors stood slightly open. From the peak was very obvious—these were no dead men. of the low-pitched roof jutted jagged stones They were alive, well fed, armed with re¬ which at one time probably had been a peating rifles of,the universal .44 bore. The belfry, now ruined by some long-forgotten sight of those prosaic guns, threatening earth-shock. though they were, exerted a steadying The bell, hanging within the triangle rather than an alarming influence. Tim formed by logs solidly braced in the hard- even grinned, though in a disgusted way. packed earth of the yard, was black with “Faith, gittin’ caught seems to be the best age. The scaffolding along the walls li’l thing we do,” he remarked. “Outside formed a narrow runway where men could o’ them Jiveros we caught on a fryin’-pan, pass in patrol or fight against enemies out¬ we ain’t licked nobody since we come in side. If well manned, the place was vir¬ here. If I ever git back home I ain’t goin’ tually an impregnable fortress against any to brag much about this trip. What’s jungle foe. the word, cap? Drop and shoot, or stick This much the four absorbed in their first up our hands?” survey of their surroundings. Then their “Stand fast.” gaze riveted on the big door. Then, in Spanish, McKay addressed the Slowly that door swung farther open. Indians. Beyond it a face showed dimly in Jthe “Do not fear. We are not enemies. Put shadow castj by the big tree outside. The down your guns.” Indians looked toward that vague figure, ' The guns remained leveled. One of the and one of them spoke. Indians replied in a harsh growl— “They are here,” he said. “Go within.” The figure stood motionless a moment. “Within what? Where?” The peering Americans saw that it was not “The gate.” tall, and that against the gloomy back¬ The captain glanced along the wall. ground its face seemed white. Then they “I see no gate.” nearly dropped. The figure replied; and “Go. You will find it.” its voice, though clear, was soft and low— He moved aside as he spoke, still covering the voice of a woman. McKay. The others likewise slipped aside. “It is well. They shall come in.” “We go.” As if the words were a cue, light shone in And, with unhurried tread, they went. the darkness. The doors swung wide. Flanked on one side by the wall, on the Prodded by the Indians, the amazed soldiers other by the ready guns, they filed along of fortune moved forward, staring at a toward the invisible gate. As they passed, slim, fair, graceful, woman, bare-armed. Tiger River 107 black-haired and red-lipped, gowned in men laid their guns aside and immersed clinging purple, who stood with head saucily their hands. As they did so, each narrowly tilted and smiled at the shaggy men who had scanned the containers. forced their way to the end of the long trail “Gold!” was their conviction. of the Tigre Yacu. Around her stood light¬ The yellow metal could hardly be any¬ skinned Indian damsels, nearly nude, hold¬ thing else. It certainly was not brass. The ing bare-flamed lights. yellow lamps, too, and the gleaming things Across the threshold passed the four, and on the table—all must be gold. down a bare corridor the bevy of girls and “Cripes!” Tim whispered again. “This their mistress retreated before them. The place is a reg’lar mint!” Indian men remained outside, and one of “Looks like it,” agreed Knowlton. “First them reached and swung the door shut. time I ever washed my face in gold, any- The lights passed into a side-wall, and the white men followed. They found themselves Running a hand down his face to squeeze in a big room hung about with the same the water from his beard, he reached with purplish cloth worn by the woman, in the the other for a small towel hanging over middle of which stood a massive table from an arm of the girl serving him. As he did whose top flashed yellow gleams as the so she bent nearer and whispered some¬ lights moved. thing. “Bien venido! Welcome!” smiled the The sibilant words meant nothing to him. woman. “You have traveled far. Have Puzzled, he stared into her face. Then he you hunger and thirst?” blinked, rubbed his watery eyes, and stared The eyes of the four searched the room. again. No men lurked there. They relaxed, He was looking into the brown eyes of smiled in reply, and doffed their battered one of the wives of Jose. hats. A glance at the other girlish faces told “Thirst we have, sefiorita,” answered him that they also were of the winsome Knowlton. “A thirst that gnaws. But no daughters of Pachac. Not only that, but hunger.” they were of the five whom the son of the “It shall be quenched.” Conquistadores had taken as his brides. She made a sign, and the girls, who now Only one of the five was missing, and she had set their yellow lamps on little wall- must be among those now beyond the door- brackets, went out by another doorway. “Sit, senores,” added the mistress of the In the wavering lights, which did not house, nodding toward a long padded couch. fully illumine the room, the Americans had “Water shall be brought for bathing, and I not previously recognized the girls. For myself shall prepare that which will banish that matter, they had paid scant attention weariness.” to them in their amazement at finding them¬ With another smile she disappeared selves amid such unexpected surroundings. through the other doorway. Still almost But now a startled grunt from Tim, whose dumb with amazement, the men sat down eye for feminine charms never remained on the couch, unconsciously gripping their blind long, showed that he too had realized guns and staring all about. who these girls were. McKay and Rand, “Gee cripes!” breathed Tim. “Whaddye after a glance at him, also looked more care¬ know about this! We come lookin’ for fully at the faces so near theirs. Their dead men, and we tumble into a harem!” lifted brows revealed their recognition. Knowlton’s girl whispered again. Again CHAPTER XXIII he could not understand. Her face fell, but she moved her head a little backward, CIRCE toward the door where the purple woman had gone out. In her eyes was a plain warn¬ P>UR girls, bearing wide yellow basins, ing against something. entered and crossed the room. Each The blond man nodded to show he com¬ stooped before one of the men, holding the prehended her effort to caution him, though bowl at the level of his knees. Restraining unaware of just what that effort signified. an impulse to snatch the vessels and drink Then he toweled his face rapidly and gave the cool water in them, the travel-stained her the wet cloth. She turned away. io8 Adventure

“Keep an eye peeled, fellows,” he mut¬ cupfuls of the hot liquid and set them along tered. “Something slippery around here. the edge. After a bit of maneuvering, the Can’t tell what’s in that next room, for four took positions along a bench beside instance.” the table, where they could watch doors and “Wear your poker face,” advised McKay. their hostess too. And, though consumed “Don’t show that we know the girls. May¬ by thirst, none lifted his cup just yet. be we’re not supposed to.” They knew the guayusa tea well enough— Then through that farther doorway came an' infusion from the leaves of a wild shrub the fair-skinned woman in purple. found here and there in the upper Amazon Behind her advanced girls bearing a large country, which, like the yerba mate of steaming pot and several cups of the same Paraguay, exhilarates the drinker and ban¬ lustrous golden hue. Eyeing them keenly, ishes weariness. They were fatigued enough the men saw that among them was the fifth and thirsty enough to consume cup after bride of Jose. And, remembering that the cup of it. But they were also on their chief of the white Indians had had nine guard against anything and everything, and daughters, and noting features of resem¬ they waited for her to drink first. blance among all these girls, they con¬ “You do not like the guayusa, no?” she cluded that every one of them was of the asked, dipping up a measure for herself. blood of Pachac. But each man kept out of “It is hot,” Knowlton evaded. “And in his face any sign of recognition, or even of my country it is the custom to await the interest. pleasure of the hostess.” They arose, as if in honor to their re¬ Her dark eyes smiled wisely at him. She turning hostess. But in doing so they un¬ lifted her cup, sipped at it, drank in little obtrusively picked up their rifles and mouthfuls, set it down empty. glanced beyond her to spy any furtive move¬ “Of what are you afraid, Senor Gold- ment in the room beyond. No menace, Hair?” she mocked. “Should I let you pass showed itself. The purple woman looked my guards only to poison you?” at their guns with an expression of amused The lieutenant flushed and raised his contempt. “Have no fear, my friends,” she said. “To you, senorita,” he bowed. “The “Within these walls no guns are needed. most beautiful woman I have seen in many Here are only rest and welcome after a long a long day.” journey.” Which was not quite so florid a compli¬ “Your men gave us a strange welcome, ment as it sounded. For many days he had senorita,” McKay asserted. seen no white women whatever. But she “Ah, but you then were outside the walls! took it at its face value, and as he smiled and In this wild land one must be on guard quaffed the stimulating draft her eyes against all who come, until we know them caressed him. for friends. Of what country are you, “Oh boy!” Tim gurgled into his cup. Senor Gold-Hair?” “Ain’t he the bear-cat, though! Feed her Her long-lashed eyes had turned to a li’l more taffy, looey, and she’ll be sittin’ Knowlton, whose tumbled hair shone under in yer lap.” the light of a near-by lamp. McKay choked suddenly, spilling half his “Of the United States of North America, guayusa. Rand bit the edge of his cup to senorita. We all are of the same land.” hold his face straight. Tim gurgled again “So? I have never seen one like you,” and swallowed the tea in two gulps. she naively confessed. “Nor one like this Knowlton expressed a desire that he might one whose hair is so red. These two,” speedily strangle. nodding at McKay and Rand, “might be The dark eyes watching them narrowed, men of Spain. But come, let us quench the and a glint of anger showed in them. thirst at the table with guayusa.” Though the alien words meant nothing to She turned toward the stout board on her, the suppressed mirth among the men which the great golden pot now had been hinted at something uncomplimentary— placed. With another quick look toward the else why should it be suppressed? But she door beyond her, the men laid their rifles said nothing. She signed to one of the girls, back on the couch and moved toward the who refilled her cup. steaming bowl. Deftly she dipped up For a minute or two all sat frankly looking Tiger River 109 at her. They saw that she was indubi¬ “You come for gold, yes? I knew it must tably Spanish, of blood pure or nearly pure; be so. For that yellow rock men dare all. that she was not altogether beautiful—the And when they have it, what then? features were a trifle coarse—but far from “Where gold is, there death is also. So ill-favored; of Castilian countenance, shape¬ my fathers have learned. Many years ago ly form, and mature years—mature, that is, they found gold here. They fought the wild for the tropics; perhaps twenty-five. Her men, they made their captives build these red lips, thin but pouting a little; her eyes, walls, they mined the gold—and what with a hint of passion in their depths; her then? languorous movements and her sidelong “The earth shook and the mountains glances—all were sensuous and sophisti¬ broke and slid. The way in and out of this cated. Her dress, they now noticed, was only gulf closed. There was no escape except the a sleeveless frock of llanchama bark-cloth long way down the Tigre, through savages dyed with achote, ending at the knee, drawn who let no man pass. So my fathers stayed tight at the waist by a broad girdle of the here with their gold, which was worth same material. And from that girdle, nothing—what is gold in such a place as slanting a little forward, jutted the hilt of this? an old-time poniard. “Still they mined and got more gold, In his mind each man labeled her— against the day when another temblor “Dangerous.” should open a new way out. It came, the terrible earth-shaking—and did it open THERE was no hint of danger in a way? No! It crushed the mines, de¬ her manner as she now studied each stroyed the men in them, buried even the man’s face in turn—and not only his gold which my fathers had taken out and face but the hardy frame beneath it. To stored in a walled-up cave. And so they three of those figures she gave fully as died, and I alone am left—Flora Almagro, much attention as to eyes and jaws and last of the fighting family that would tear expressions. Her gaze hovered a little curi¬ wealth from the savage mountains of the ously on Tim’s red hair and beard, but Pastassa. she scanned his muscular body with more “I, and Indians, and tumbling walls, and interest than his wide countenance. On a few paltry utensils which my fathers made McKay’s stalwart frame and Rand’s solid from their gold—that is all. But the gold build she bestowed thoughtful looks. But is in these mountains round about. Dig, on Knowlton’s thick, uncut yellow hair, sefiores, dig! Ha, ha, ha! In twenty years golden beard, and twinkling blue eyes her of digging you may reach that which my gaze lingered; and under her lashes burned fathers reached—and then be crushed like a soft glow of approval and allure. them!” “Ye’ve started somethin’, looey,” mur¬ Again she laughed—a mocking laugh mured Tim, sotto voce. “Us three guys are with a wild note in it. jest hunks o’ beef, but li’l Angel-Face “Four life-times of fighting man and beast Knowlton is the candy kid.” and jungle and devil-rock—and this to “Shut up, you poor fish,” requested the show for it!” she shrilled, with a contemptu¬ badgered man. ous wave toward golden cups and bowl and Then he gulped his second cup of guayusa, lamps. “If you would find gold and keep it, noting as he did so that the woman now was friends, bring in an army—bring in cannon eying the red-haired man in evident dislike. —blow off the tops of these mountains until Tim was rapidly putting himself out of they can no longer fall— Then, perhaps, if the jungle men will let you, you can pick up After another wordless minute or so of your treasure in safety.” tea-drinking, the woman turned her gaze None answered. All thought of the again to Knowlton. slight earth-shock only a few hours past, of “What do you seek here?” she asked the fall of the cliff and the destruction of the abruptly. trail. Her words rang true. And if they Involuntarily each man’s glance darted were true, Fate had tricked them into a to the great gold pot on the table. She barren trap indeed. threw back her head and laughed in a scorn¬ Thoughtfully they drained their cups ful way. a third time. The potent stimulant already no Adventure had routed their fatigue, and now their attempted to convey a warning to Knowl- minds were leaping nimbly from one thing ton. Now she looked straight at him and to another—the quake, the mysterious green again tried, by furtive nods at her mistress, men above, the obvious servitude of the to caution him. Puzzled, he stared back Pachac girls, the sinister absence of the rest at her. of the tribe and of Jose—a dozen other “Why do you look so at my maidens?” things in incoherent sequence, all of which demanded Flora Almagro. perplexed and disturbed them. At length Her eyes were narrowed again, and she McKay bluntly asked— watched Knowlton as if trying to read his “How did you know we were coming?” thoughts. The suddenness of the query did not dis¬ “I was wondering, Senorita Flora,” he turb her. Widening her eyes in mock in¬ coolly replied, “how, in this wild place, you nocence, she returned: obtained such handsome slaves. For In¬ “The approach of travelers always is dians, they are almost beautiful.” known. The little parrots of the forest send His tone implied that they were not to be the word.” compared in beauty with their mistress. “Ah. Green parrots, no doubt.” The subtle flattery was not lost. She smiled “All parrots here are green, Senor Black- again. But her eyes still searched his. Beard,” Was her laughing retort. “You look as rf you thought you knew “So. And they drum with their wings to them, senor.” send their news.” “One of them resembles a girl I saw At that her smile vanished in a flash. months ago far up the Maranon,” he lied Involuntarily her hand darted to her dagger- serenely. “But she can not be the same. hilt and she threw a look toward the outer That one was taller.” door. The gesture, the look, were strikingly For a moment longer she studied him. similar to the fearful attitudes of the green He carefully preserved his “poker face.” men on hearing the distant drums. The suspicion faded from her eyes. “Valgame DiosI Those drums!” she “But no, Senor Gold-Hair. All of these breathed. Then her head turned back and have been with me for years. They are of lifted again. “But no, you have it wrong. the people who served my fathers. Now You have heard drums, yes? They are they shall serve-” drums of the men who cut off the head and A stumble and a slight confusion at the make it small—the hunters of the heads of door halted her. The three girls were re¬ men and the bodies of women—the old turning, bearing another great golden bowl. enemies of my fathers. Their land is be¬ One of them had tripped, and all three were yond the mountains to the west, but they struggling to keep the heavy vessel from come at times—many of their bones lie in falling. From it splashed a reddish liquor. this gulf where they fell. We have lived A flash of anger twisted the face of Flora. only because they came in scattered raiding Her dagger leaped out, and with a feline bands. If ever they come in an army-” spring she darted at the trio. Her hand tightened on the hilt. With “Pigs! Lizards! She-dogs!” she screamed. another swift change she laughed out, the “Have care! If you drop the wine, clumsy same wild laugh as before. beasts, you shall feel the point of this!” “They may capture the head of me, but The three caught their balance, steadied that is all!” she vowed. “Flora Almagro the bowl, and bore it dripping to the table. never goes a captive to the hut of an Indian The purple-clad woman, her breast heaving —not while good steel can reach her heart! with fury, looked down at what had been But—carajol Let us forget them. Tomor¬ spilled, spun toward the table, still gripping row death may come, but tonight let us live! her poniard—and caught the cool stare of Now that the guayusa has rested you, there four pairs of American eyes. After a silent is a stronger draft of friendship for strong minute she slipped the weapon back into men who have dared the Tigre and come to her girdle and laughed in a forced way. me here.” “I forget myself,” she said. “But this She signed again to the girls, who had wine, senores—it is old, precious! To see been standing mute behind her. Three of it cast on the floor by footless fools—it is them turned toward the rear room. Among too much. But now it is safe. Let us drink those who stayed was the one who had deep—of the wine of life—and love!” Tiger River II

With the last words her eyes burned deep me of your travels, yes? Tomorrow, if my into those of Senor Gold-Hair, whom she poor hospitality has pleased you, we shall had plainly selected as recipient for further talk more seriously—of those things which favors to come. are to come. But now-” “Hm! This is getting a bit thick,” She nodded and lifted her cup to Senor thought the blond man. “But the evening’s Gold-Hair, who promptly arose. young yet, and if she drinks enough she may “My name, Senorita Flora, is Meredith blab a lot of interesting things. On with the Knowlton, an humble member of this dance!” party commanded by-” Wherefore he smiled blandly at the He paused. Behind their mistress’ back senorita, accepted the cup tendered him, two of the Pachac girls were frantically sig¬ and gazed appreciatively at the fragrant naling at him. This time there was no contents. Red wine in a cup of gold, ten¬ chance of misunderstanding. They were dered by a seductive woman in a room hung pointing at his cup and shaking their heads with purple and lit by golden lamps, with —warning him not to drink of it. nude maidens at hand to pour new drafts— “—commanded by El Capitan Roderick here in a jungle chasm into which he and McKay,” the lieutenant went on, “the his. comrades had been driven by green¬ Caballero seated at my right-” skinned creatures at the points of poisoned There he'let the cup slip from his fingers spears! It seemed an impossible dream, and drop. from which he soon must awake to find him¬ “Don’t drink, fellows!” he snapped in self again in a gloomy pole-and-palm camp English. “It’s doped!” surrounded by avid tigres. Glancing at “By cripes, and they’s a row outside!” McKay, he found the same feeling reflected yelped Tim. “Hear it?” in the gray eyes contemplating the scene. A low muttering sound beyond the walls “You have not yet told me your names, flared into a snarling roar of hatred. Sharp my friends,” the last of the Almagros re¬ yells—a bumping, splintering sound—a sud¬ minded them. “Now let us drink to each of den roar of gunshots. With a bound the my guests in turn, and then you shall tell men threw themselves on their rifles.

TO BE CONTINUED River

Author of “Blackhawk“Tupahn—the Thunderstormetc.

The first part of the story briefly retold in story form. 120 Adventure Spilth

CHAPTER XXIV “You do not stand at our backs w knife. Over there, if you please along.” SANTO DIOS!” screamed Flora “Cristo!” she spat. “You think me an ' (BB Almagro. “Las bestias — the asesino—a cutthroat? You would let them / beasts are out!” kill n If the fighting creatures out¬ ‘We let no man kill you. But w side were animals, then they were animals what was in the wine!” with the voices of men. They yelled, It was a snap shot, but it scored. Her screeched, howled in a bedlam of blows and face blanched, her eyes and mouth opened, crashes punctuated by the recurrent rifle¬ and she slipped away from him, poniard up shots. Yet beneath the human voices in a position of defense. sounded a ferocious undertone of bestial “Over there!” he repeated inexorably, grunts and snarls—a fearsome, inarticulate pointing again. “And stay there!” growl more appalling than the death-shrieks Several feet away, still staring at his bleak momentarily scaling high and breaking off face, she stopped where he had designated— short. protected by the upturned table, but beyond “Where away, cap?” called Tim, gun reach of any of her defenders. Still farther cocked and pistol loosened for a quick draw. on, the daughters of Pachac clustered well “Stay here!” snapped McKay. “Back away from her, and in their faces now behind the table! Heave it over!” plainly showed sullen hatred of the woman “That’s the stuff,” approved Knowlton, they had served. glancing at the high wall-slits. From the “Lights out along here!” commanded Mc¬ outside no man could shoot through those Kay, knocking a lamp from its bracket with openings, nor could any creature larger than his rifle-muzzle. The others threw the lights a house-cat squeeze in at them. With the nearest them to the floor and trampled on wall at their backs, the massive table as a the oil which splashed out, killing the flame. bulwark, and only two entrances, they could That side of the room now was very dim, hold this strong room against all comers while the two entrances were well illumined. until their ammunition ran out—and even Two nude figures came slipping in at the longer, with their machetes. farther doorway. Four rifles darted to an They leaped around the table, tugged at aim. But they sank without a shot. The one edge, swung it up and let its heavy top pair were women—daughters of Pachac. slam down with a crushing thump. The * ‘ sight of them Flora Almagro hissed gold bowl and cups clanged on the cat. floor, the liquor splashing on the purple>urple “Y< devils!” she screamed. “You, you dress of the woman and the bare legs of the' freed the beasts! You opened the gates! girls. When they are driven back I kill you!” “Hei»!” ordered the captain, pointing. Whether the girls understood the Spanish Flora, her poniard gleaming, dashed words or not, they evidently recognized the around the table and sought to get behind accusation and cared nothing for the threat. them. The Indian girls followed with less Their lips curled and their heads lifted in a speed—in fact, they seemed unafraid and defiant gesture worthy of their maddened kept looking at the doors. mistress herself. Tauntingly one pointed Tiger River 121 toward the infernal tumult outside. The had just heard from the throat of that un¬ other flashed her teeth in a triumphant seen leader—esdavos—slaves. smile. Obviously they were not only guilty It came again, from almost under him, but proud of it. that savage voice, that same word. Infuriated by their insolence, she sprang “Hah! El capalaz de esclavos—the slave- at them with dagger 'uplifted, forgetful of driver—the foreman! Welcome, senor— the shoulder-high table-top intervening. welcome to death and hell!” She collided with the solid barrier so forcibly Back into Rand’s range, of vision reeled that the blow crumpled her gasping to the a stocky, brutal-visaged Indian, a rifle floor. The Indian girls near her surged clutched aloft in his fists. He struck down¬ forward. ward. The gun was tom from his grip. A But, sensing the menace from those whom long, lean white body, topped by a black- so recently she had threatened, she closed a bearded face split in a grin of hate, leaped hand again over the weapon and lifted its into view, swinging down the captured gun point against them. They paused, hesitated, with terrific power. The crunching thud of hung back. Holding them off with gleaming the blow sounded above the rest of the blade and blazing eyes, she hitched back tumult. The Indian capalaz collapsed, his to the wall and leaned against it, struggling head a red ruin. to regain her breath. “Hah!” croaked the deadly voice again. Outside the conflict was advancing under “How do you like my blow, you fiend? On, the unglassed slits serving as windows, camaradast They break! On to the doors!” ventilators, and loop-holes. The gunshots In another bound he was gone. So swift had dwindled to an occasional blunt roar, had been his movements that the watcher’s and those inside heard more clearly the brain retained only a fleeting memory of impacts of blows, the gasping grunts of black hair and grinning teeth. Before his close-locked antagonists, the moans of eyes now passed a surging hurly-burly of wounded and dying. Thus far no man had other black heads, upshooting arms, lurch¬ entered the house. A stubborn hand-to- ing bodies— hand battle evidently was going on, with “Dave!” crackled McKay’s voice. one side slowly gaining ground. Through At the same instant came a struggling, the turmoil sounded a hoarse voice ex¬ thumping noise from the outer door. Rand horting: jumped down and took his place in the line. “At them, camaradast Over them, Bump — bump — bump — a grinding esclavos! Kill! Kill! Butcher the accursed creak—another struggling sound. Then atormentadores—the torturers! Strike! Bite! that hoarse voice again. Crush their skulls! Kill! Kill!” “So, you pig! You would block the door, Rand, after scanning the hollow em¬ hah? You hug the wood, hah? Then hang brasure of a slit above him, clambered up your brains on it to show your love for it!” to its firing-step and leaned into the opening, Another bump, followed by the thud of a peering down. Out there in the moonlight falling body. Hoarse breathing, the slap he saw wrenching, wrestling figures heaving of bare feet in the corridor, and a triumphant about in mortal combat—naked arms and yell. knotted fists clutching clubs, rising and bat¬ “Now for that cat who steals the brains tering down—shaggy heads and hulking of men! Now for that seductordt Let her shoulders hurling themselves past at some drink her own brew and— Por Dios, what foe just beyond—distorted, red-smeared is this?” faces falling backward in death—the flare Into the room bounded the lean killer of a discharging rifle. of the capalaz de esclavos, followed close by Over the fighting forms hung a haze of his naked fighting mates. At sight of the dust and powder-smoke, and from them upturned table, the four grim figures behind rose the rank odor of bodies long unwashed. it, and the gun-muzzles grinning at him, he Yet, despite the blur, despite the animal halted in his tracks. Slit-eyed he peered smell, the peering man in the wall was sure into the dimness along that farther wall, and some of those battling bodies were white. his jaw dropped. At the same instant four This was no Jivero attack. It was an trigger-fingers slacked their tension, and eruption within the walls of the fortress it¬ across the faces of the Americans darted the self. In Rand’s mind burned the word he light of recognition. 122 Adventure

“Begorry, it’s Hozy!” rumbled Tim. them, laughed harshly, and drew an imagi¬ Jose it was. But not the same Jose whom nary dead-line with one extended toe. they had last seen. He was naked as any Turning again, he extended his arms side- wild man of the jungle—naked as the men wise as a sign to his followers that none pressing in at his back, none of whom had should advance beyond that line. Over one a rag of clothing save a narrow loin-clout. shoulder he jeered: His black hair and beard, which he had “Look at them, capitan—and see your¬ always kept scrupulously clean, now were self in them! Are they not handsome?” dingy and matted with dirt, and half his The captain and his companions looked. face was smeared red from a gash on his They saw men whom they recognized as forehead. But despite his dirt and blood, members of the band of Pachac. They saw notwithstanding his loss of clothing and others,' both white and brown, whose faces kerchief and machete and knife, there was were new. And in those visages they found no mistaking his hawk face and his tigerish something that sent a chill crawling up poise. And behind him showed the saturnine their backs. countenance of Pachac, his adopted father. “Ho! Jit is the Senor Tim and— But MANY of those faces still were quick, my friends, tell me! You have not working with blood-lust, many of eaten food given you by that woman the savage eyes were hot with un¬ Almagro—where is that foul corrupter?— quenched thirst for revenge. But they were you have not drunk of her cheer? Quick, brutish, those countenances—the faces of senores, before it becomes too late!” men debased; and the eyes were those of “Only some guayusa,” answered Knowl- animals—of dogs, of pigs, but not of men. ton. “Make that gang of yours keep back!” Some of them were grimacing like caged Without turning his head, Jose ripped lions; some grinned without mirth; more out commands in Spanish and some Indian were sullen; and all, or nearly all, were well- tongue. The men behind, who had been nigh empty of human intelligence. Behind shoving to get past, stood still. those leering masks dwelt darkened minds, “And you feel alert, amigos? You feel no which responded to the commands of Jose heaviness coming on you? No?” only as the mentalities of broken beasts “No.” respond to the crack of a whip. “Buenol Then you are safe. But lower Bestias, the woman had called them, and the guns, friends—these are no enemies of bestias they were. For that Spanish word yours. They are poor creatures much means, not only “beast,” but “idiot.” abused, who at last break free from the These men were both. vilest slavery ever laid on men. All they Nor was that all. On the bare bodies now seek is the cruel cat who made them shifting about were welts of slave-whips— what they are. Si, and I too hunt her! not only welts, but cruel scars years old. Where is she?” And among them moved some which Know! ton, glancing sidelong toward Flora, stepped jerkily, as if partly crippled. As found her still on the floor below the table- those short-stepping men came to the edge, top. But she was no longer leaning against where the lights struck them fair, the reason the wall. Crouching, her poniard still for their grotesque gait was revealed. Like lifted and menacing, she was creeping closer Rafael Gonzales, who had stumbled into to the wooden bulwark between her and her Iquitos with madman’s gold; like the un¬ foes, hiding from them and darting looks known mestizo speared in the back on the here and there like a cornered wild thing ridge trail, those men were maimed—then- seeking a line of escape and finding none. toes amputated. And each of the cripples “Why?” curtly demanded McKay. was white. “Why?” echoed the naked outlaw, his “Si, look at them!” mocked Jose again. voice strident. “Why? Use your eyes, “Look at the missing men of the Tigre Yacu! Captain McKay, and see why! See what Here they are, all but those who have died you too would have been tomorrow!” by torture and suicide and the fight this He turned on his heel and grunted mono¬ night. Look at the faces of men who were syllables at those behind. Then he walked as brave and quick of wit as any of you before them to the middle of the room, eyed senores! Look at the bodies that dared all the still ready rifles and the hard faces above hardships to find such a fate! Look at the Tiger River [23 feet that carried them through barbaros and at him. Her poniard thrust for his throat. tigres and snakes—to this! Hah! And ask Then it was that the outlaw’s quickness, again why we hunt the mujer de mal who which more than once in the past had did this thing!” preserved his life, saved him once more. Once more he faced the four who had been ■ Swift as was her stab, his recoil was a shade his partners. His voice sank to a low, deadly swifter. In one backward leap he was four level. His eyes roved from man to man, feet away, grinning like a snarling jungle- glittering with ruthless determination. cat. She fell forward on the upturned table- Sefiores, you have been my friends. All— edge, balked by the wood wall that had except perhaps you, McKay—still are my hidden her. friends, if you wish. But we will have that But hardly had she touched it when, with woman, whether you protect her or not. another lightning movement, she threw her¬ If you try to block us we fight—and you self up and back on her feet. Her eyes die. In spite of your guns, your pistols, blazed with insane fires. your many bullets, your steel—you die. “Live, then, animal!” she shrieked. “Here We are too many and too near, and you is one well-beloved, who goes to death with cann9t get us all before you go under. And if you die so, you die as quijotes, as fools. Like a flash she turned and sprang at “I cannot hold these tortured men from Knowlton, her Senor Gold-Hair. Her up¬ their vengeance on her if I would. And I raised dagger darted for his heart. will not try. We will avenge ourselves, and “Come, my golden one—” she panted as we will do it now. Decide quickly what she struck. you will do.” Instinctively the ex-lieutenant side¬ Every man of the four knew he spoke the stepped and snapped his rifle upward in a cold truth. If his implacable tone had not parry. The barrel caught her wrist and driven home his inflexible decision, the sight blocked its slanting swoop. In the next of those lowering faces behind him would flashing instant she was seized from behind have confirmed it to the last degree. Yet and hurled down. the woman was a woman; they were white The wives of Jose, daughters of a fighting men; and they would not hand over any chief who belted his waist with the hair of woman, no matter what she might have his foes, had leaped. Maddened by the done, to such a mob as that. stab at their man, they were jumping for¬ There was a tense pause. Then the out¬ ward even as she hurtled at Knowlton. Now law’s mouth twisted in a mirthless smile. they were on her like tigresses, tearing at her He shifted his gaze toward his wives and face, twisting the poniard from her hand. their sisters, bunched, behind the table and Screams of hate echoed in the room. watching the parley without fear but with As Jose and his band hurled themselves spellbound interest. He studied the gap at the table, as the Americans surged for¬ between them and Knowlton, who was ward, something bright and keen rose out Number Four in the defensive line. He of the knot of struggling women. Like a glanced at the girls. In answer to his un¬ lightning flash it fell. spoken question, one of them pointed down¬ Slowly, still quivering with rage, the ward at the hidden woman. daughters of Pachac arose and stepped back. “So!” he said. “She is there, hiding her Flora, the last of the Almagros, die jungle cowardly body, as I thought. Shoot if you Circe who changed men to beasts with her will, you who were my friends. I go to terrible drink, the enslaver of the missing whisper sweet words in her ear.” men of the Tigre Yacu, lay still, her own He dropped the rifle captured from the dagger buried to the hilt in her breast. capataz, which he .had been holding as a club. Empty-handed, he strode toward the CHAPTER XXV spot where the woman crouched. But he had no need to lean over the THE DEVIL’S BREW bulwark and look for her. As he lifted a foot for the last step she sprang up. pOR a long minute the big room of purple “Si! I am here, pig,” she screamed. and gold was still. In the silence the “Take me—and take this with me!” only sounds were the breathing of men and Like a striking snake she threw herself the soft flutter of flames blown about in the 124 Adventure gold lamps by a breeze stealing in at the “Capitan,” he said impulsively, “I have loop-holes. been a hot-headed fool.” , Then three groups again became conscious McKay’s gray eyes met his. McKay’s of one another. The Americans looked up set mouth softened. at the Indian girls whose explosion of fury “And I, Jose, have been a bull-headed had swept their tyrant into death. Then jackass.” both men and women faced toward the Their right hands shot across the barrier staring creatures now hanging over the edge and gripped hard. of the table. “That is a queer animal, capitan—a burro Vague though the minds of those lost men with a bull head,” grinned the Peruvian. might be, they had no difficulty in grasping “And it has no right to live. So let it not what they saw. Violent death being as old come between us again.” as life itself, perception and understanding “It won’t.” of it is instinctive in all creatures. And The hands parted. Both men looked those men still possessed eyes to see and again at the human herd, and down at the instinct to interpret. Gazing down at the quiet woman on the floor. motionless figure, the blanched face, and “Does this end it, Jose?” asked Rand, the sinister handle jutting from the still nodding down at her. bosom, they gradually drew back and let “This ends it, comrades. Unless some of their clouded eyes rove among the gold those slave-driving Indios outside escaped— vessels bestrewing the floor. The fight was and I do not think it—this whole nest of done, the enemy dead, and their groping devils is cleaned. Now we have more clean¬ brains already were forgetful of it all. ing to do; to clean this room and the yard One among them, besides Jose, seemed and ourselves. Whether we can clean the more alert—grim old Pachac, whose gaze minds of these poor people I do not know, rested watchfully on the Americans. Yet but we can clean our bodies, and it shall be his face was hard set, as if it were an effort done. Then there will be a tale to tell.” to concentrate his attention and hold it un¬ “Then let’s be at it,” said Knowlton, wavering. The blight on the minds of the wrinkling his nose at the rank smell filling rest evidently had touched his also, but the room. “You clean up outside, and we’ll lightly. Among the whole crew the only fix up here. And for humanity’s sake give one retaining full mental vigor was the this crowd a bath.” indomitable son of the Conquistadores, Jose “It is not their fault, Senor Knowlton. Martinez. Wait until you have seen the sty they were Now that outlaw did a strange thing. forced to herd in, poor devils! Si, and I Over the body of the woman whom he had with them—I am one of them, except that just sought in implacable vengefulness, over my brain is clear. And that it is clear I owe the poniard which had licked out at his not to myself but to Huarma, one of my throat a few minutes ago, he made the sign brides—the tallest one, yonder. But of that of the cross. you shall hear.” “Sea como Dios quiera,” he said soberly. He touched Pachac on the shoulder and “As God wills, so let it be.” muttered something. The chief’s face re¬ But there was no hint of regret or for- laxed, as if it were a relief to have no longer iveness in his tone, or in the face he turned to try to think, and he turned docilely to rst to his followers and then to his erst¬ follow the lead of his stalwart foster-son. while partners of the Tigre Yacu. Jose’s voice began to snap in commands, The Americans had let their guns sink and his hand pointed toward the corridor. while they looked down on the woman. At once the listless, aimless crowd became They did not lift them again. With the alive and began to press out of the room. butts grounded, they looked pityingly at The Peruvian followed them up, rounding the hulking wrecks of manhood beyond the up stragglers, knocking a gold cup out of barrier. one man’s hand, shaking to his feet another, Even McKay’s iron face showed his feel¬ who had lain down on the floor and closed ing for those poor creatures, tortured, his eyes. Last of all, he and Pachac passed maimed, darkened in mind. For the mo¬ out side by side. ment he had forgotten Jose. And Jos6, The Indian girls had drawn away from studying him, suddenly stepped toward him. the table now and stood grouped at the rear Tiger River 125 doorway, seeming a little afraid of the all closed, showed in the soft lamplight. bearded men but not in the least awed by Nowhere was any staircase. The living the realization of what they had done to quarters in this broad, low house were all their mistress. The Americans gave them on one floor. no further attention. McKay flung open the nearest door, ad¬ Leaning their guns against the wall, they vanced his lamp, and looked around. Then moved out the table and swung it back on he stepped back. its legs. Rand and Tim stooped and lifted “This is her room,” he said. “Bring her the quiet form from the floor. Up on the in here.” board they laid her, and just below the hilt The other pair complied. Back to the of the poniard they crossed the hands which table they went, and slowly they returned, had sought to wield it in death-strokes when, bearing with them the shrouded figure. brought to bay by the beasts she had made, While the captain lighted the way they took she had thought to take with her the leader her to a great canopied bed and laid her of the pack or the stranger on whom her down. Then they drew the purple curtains sensuous fancy had settled. and left her in her last sleep. Then, moving about the room, the four Though they glanced around the room, gathered up the scattered cups and orna¬ they did not finger. Their roving eyes took ments and the big bowl which, with its in the fines of the high bed, various massive venomed liquor, had been thrown overby articles of furniture evidently built from the upturning of the table. These they some cabinet-wood cut in the surrounding placed around her, the bowl inverted at her jungle, a number of old tapestries about the head, the cups and heavy ornaments down walls, and numerous gold ornaments care¬ the sides in gleaming array. When this was lessly strewn about on stands and drawer- done they pulled from the wall a long section chests. There was no sign of occupancy of of the achote-dyed hangings, and this they the room by any person other than the stretched along over the table-top. Then woman who now lay there. they picked up their rifles again and moved Passing out, they shut the door firmly over toward the door. behind them and looked steadily at the In¬ What they could do they had done. On dian girls, who had come into the corridor. the dim side of the room the last of the Then McKay addressed Rand, who had Almagros now rested under a purple shroud, followed them. surrounded by the gold with which she had “All right, Dave. Come along. This shut sought to betray four more men into hope¬ door is all the guard needed here.” less misery worse than death. And the men, He judged rightly. As he and his com¬ keenly alert, were masters of her house and panions turned down the hall the girls about to explore its secrets. moved to the outer entrance. Covet the McKay paused and glanced around. shining trinkets though they might, they Then he decided— would not venture to open that portal be¬ “Better leave one man here.” yond which waited darkness and death. “What for?” wondered Knowlton. “Nothing to guard against in this room.” |IJjrflJ FROM room to room the men “Maybe. But Indians are Indians—a BJb|i worked their way, wrestling with knife is a knife—gold is gold.” IUUULn doors which stubbornly resisted, Rand nodded. The girls still stood as if though none had a lock to hold it barred waiting for them to withdraw. And the against inspection. Each time, after shov¬ captain was determined that there should ing and prying the wooden barrier open, be no pilfering from that shrouded table. they found that the difficulty was due to the “I’ll stay,” he volunteered. “Go ahead.” sagging or warping of the door, indicating He stepped back to the couch and sat long disuse. And each time when they down. The others lifted lamps frpm the penetrated it they found the room musty brackets and went out. and dingy, its furnishings mouldy and its In the corridor they found the big double weapons—for there were old weapons in entrance-door standing wide, gaping vacant¬ some of them—coated thick with rust and ly at the moonlit yard, whence sounded the spider-webs. shuffle of bare feet and occasional orders Bats veered out into the corridor or from Jose. Along the passage other doors, swirled around the walls, and countless [26 Adventure shells of long-dead beetles and other insects after them more of the brainless crew swung crackled under foot. Everything told the into sight. same tale: Here once had lived a large “Ha, amigos! At last Jose is himself family which now was gone. again—without a shirt or a knife, it is true, Not all the rooms, however, were so hard but clean white from hair to heel. Por Dios, of access or filled with decay. A few showed what a difference water makes in a man! signs of fairly recent tenancy, and one wide And all this crowd behind have become men chamber obviously formed the quarters of instead of pigs, though it took much scrub¬ the daughters of Pachac. Except this one, bing. Now the women have been set free however, none gave indications that it was and take their turn at the bath. What have still being used for sleeping purposes. The you found here? You have searched, yes?” others seemed to be occasional guest-rooms. “Nothing but rust and spider-webs—and The eyes of the explorers narrowed as they bottles of brain-killer,” Knowlton told him. surmised where the “guests” had gone. “That - broth—it shall be thrown At length they found themselves in a over the walls! But come, let us sit—and, lighted room undoubtedly used as the kitch¬ por amor de Dios, give me a cigaret! I have en. There, among other things, they found had no smoke for years.” the gold bowl which still held guayusa, now They entered the big room, where even cooled, and a long stout shelf filled with as he snatched the proffered tobacco and tall square-sided clay bottles, tightly corked papers, he glanced about in search for Flora with wooden plugs. One of these had been Almagro. Rand pointed a thumb backward taken from the shelf and stood beside the across the hall. Jose nodded. bowl. Lifting and shaking it, Rand heard “Years?” echoed McKay. the tell-tale gurgle showing that some of its “Years, capitan. Time is measured by contents had been poured out. Its plug life, not by suns. A man may live years in came out easily—in fact, it still was damp. a week, or only a week in years. Is it not He poured some of the liquid into one true? And I have been in this place for hand. years, though it is hardly two weeks since “Looks like tea,” he said. I came. Ah-h-h!” “Sleep-tea, undoubtedly,” Knowlton sug¬ He gulped smoke into his lungs and ex¬ gested. haled rapturously. “Yeah,” agreed Tim. “That there’s the Behind him the brown and the white men knockout stuff that kills yer brains, I bet. who had been slaves came sifting into the Gee, lookit the line-up of it on the shelf, will rgom. As their leader said, they once more ye? Looks like a jungle blind-tiger, with the we men, clean from scalp to sole, their clay bottles and all. She kept enough on skin§_ glowing from the strenuous ablutions hand to make a hundred idjuts a day, if it they Sad given themselves; and somehow works quick.” they seemed to stand the straighter now, to “Must work quick,” McKay declared. look a little more alive, as if that bathing “Pachac’s people haven’t been here long. had refreshed brain as well as body. Yet, And look at them now.” though no longer driven beasts, one glance “Wonder what became of the women and at them showed that their minds still were children,” said Rand. “We’ve seen only fettered in a black bondage. As they pressed in and spread out like an “I’m wondering about quite a number aimlessly flowing stream, the five reunited of things,” added Knowlton. “Jose will partners watched them soberly. Jose sadly straighten things up, perhaps. Come on, shook his head. let’s fiiiS him.” “My people,” he said. “The people who Passing through a smaller room, which followed me into this, as well as those who seemed to have been recently used for came before me. And you, too, senores, lounging and dining, they entered again the would have been spared much if you had great main hall' where they had been enter¬ never joined Jose Martinez at the mouth of tained. It was empty of life. As they the Tigre Yacu. I have a heavy task before stepped into the corridor, intending to me, friends—to clean the minds of these men leave the house and explore the yards, the as I have cleaned their bodies. I hope it can lean figure of Jose stalked in at the moonlit be done, but only my wife Huarma can do it.” doorway. Behind him came Pachac, and “How?” puzzled Knowlton. Tiger River 127

“She is wise in the ways of herbs and* “Tired, yes,” nodded Jose. “They have drugs, senor. Though very young, she is the worked under the lash since sunrise, they medicine-woman of her people. And what have fought hard tonight. So have I. But one evil leaf has done, another good leaf may my mind is not burdened like theirs, and undo. We shall see.” it will not yet allow me to rest. Let us sit, “You mean to say that alHhese men were comrades, and-■” robbed of their brains by a jungle herb?” A fresh padding of feet in the corridor demanded Rand. interrupted him. In at the door flocked “I do, Senor Dave. You have heard of the women and children, led by the daughters jloripondio?” of the chief; the weaker portion of the white Blank faces answered him. Indian tribe. Scanning them, the five “You have not. Be thankful that you partners saw at once that the curse of the have none of it within you now. If you had, Jloripondio had not been put on their minds. you soon would know more of it than words Their- eyes darted eagerly about in search can tell you. for husbands, brothers, fathers. Having “I am not a medico or a drogttero—one found their men, they ran to them; then skilled in drugs—but I know of that devil- sank silently down at their sides without weed, for I have heard of it from men of the disturbing their rest. Napo country. Up that Rio Napo—and in The outlaw’s somber face lightened. other places too, no doubt—it is sometimes “That will help much,” he declared. given a man by his woman when she tires “With the women to follow the orders of of him and wants another; and he becomes Huarma and care for their men, much may an imbecile who will be the slave of that be done. I have not seen them since the woman and of her new love, not knowing accursed drug was put on us, and I feared what he does. they too were darkened in mind.” “It is steeped like a tea, senores, that is He spoke to the tallest of his brides—the all; made like the guayusa. But where the one who, he had said, was Huarma the guayusa drives weariness from the most medicine-woman. With dignity worthy of tired man and makes him keen, the flori- her father, yet with due deference to her pondio deadens the brain of the strongest. hawk-faced lord, she responded. He nodded Put into food or drink, it soon does its again. deadly work without the man knowing what “The women and children,” he explained, is paralyzing his mind. Then he is lost. “have been used as slaves on the plantation, “So, friends, that is the reason why the which lies back among the trees to the west. missing men of the Tigre have not come The woman Almagro thought it not worth back. That is the reason why you now see her trouble to drug them—she knew they these who are before you turned to animals. dared not try to escape without their men. Only a little leaf of the jungle, plucked and Is it not true, senores, that human fiends put into water—cooked over the same fire always are tripped at last by something they that warms innocent food—and then used have left undone? If that woman had not by human fiends to wreck the reason of held in contempt the women of Pachac, and men!” in particular the daughters of Pachac, we CHAPTER XXVI should not now be here, nor would she be lying dead across the corredor. But now FANTOM TREASURE that we are all together once more, let us speak of what has been and of what may be.” THE missing men of the Tigre and their He dropped his cigaret-stub, eyed the new comrades in misfortune, the men table, and, with a grin, strode to it. Shoving of Pachac, stood for a time looking dully the big upturned bowl to the middle of the about them. Then, as if by simultaneous board, he swung himself up and squatted tacit consent, they lay down on the floor on its broad yellow base. Then he beckoned and disposed themselves for rest. Un¬ with both hands to his wives and their covered, unbedded, they relaxed and closed sisters and father. Laughingly the girls their eyes like men long inured to nothing approached and ranged themselves along better. Only Pachac himself still stood, the table-edge, placing their parent in the pathetically dependent on the brain of his middle. The Americans smiled as they contemplated the scene. 128 Adventure

“Begorry, Hozy ol’-timer,” grinned Tim, Tomorrow, my ambassadors from North "ye look like a baboon king—naw, that ain’t America, we must search our royal cellar the word-” for wine not doctored. Then our treasure “Barbarian,” chuckled Rand. shall be doubled, for if we drink enough we “Yeah. Jest what a barbarian king is I can see two bars of gold where only one was. dunno, but Hozy’s one.” The metaphor Hah!” was not bad. Seated on a golden throne, “What’s that? Bars of gold? Where?” with his foster-father at his feet staring demanded McKay. owlishly outward; with his comely women “Where? Where but here, capitan? Why lined at his sides and his people prostrate do you think all these men have been held before him; with the royal purple lining the slaves, robbed of brains, driven with whips? walls of the spacious hall, the bare-flamed For what, but to work in the mine?” gold lamps glowing, and the jungle moon “Great guns! You mean that? What mine?” “The mine of gold in the mountain to the rear. Sit Gold! The gold of mad Rafael Gonzales! Hah! You are astonished, yes? You believed, as I did, the wail of the woman that the mine was destroyed? She sang you that same song, and you have not had time to think why these men were-” He stopped short and sprang up, sud¬ denly pale. The others too, except the sleeping men, lost color and staggered. The solid floor had quivered under them. From the cordon of mountains outside sounded a low rumbling growl. Again the floor shuddered slightly. Then all was still. “Once more the temblor/” breathed Jose, his eyes darting about the walls. “Once more the ground shivers. But it is past— until it comes 'again. And these solid old walls have stood worse shocks, no doubt. Let us forget it.” Yet the gleam was gone from his eye and the ring from his voice as he went on, and the sudden fire that had swept the veins of the Americans at the J magic words “gold mine” had as swiftly cooled. Each felt the hand of an awful power hovering over the slanting its white beams in at the narrow house, able, at its brute whim, to crush it openings behind—Jose Martinez, man with¬ and its occupants into jumbled stones and out a country, naked and fiercely bearded, mangled corpses. looked to be the truculent ruler of some for¬ “Gold is here, amigos,” said Jose. “And gotten kingdom resurrected from prehistoric it is ours. But let us start at the beginning. First tell me how you came here, and what And here in this untamed land, where the happened before and after.” rise and fall of nations and the passage of centuries meant nothing at all, he truly was rHE SAT on his yellow throne, and a king; for in his sinewy hand rested what¬ I wM the four disposed themselves as com- ever power existed. l_TJml fortably as might be on the long Now his gaunt face cracked wide, and he couch. To stand would not help them 3 seized an empty gold cup and held it aloft another quake came. in a grotesquely dramatic gesture. Briefly Knowlton detailed the happenings uDios guarde al reyl” he cackled. “God since Jose had turned his back on them at save the king! But of what good is it to be the lake of the burning sands. As the min¬ king when one can not drink his own health? utes passed and no further sound came from Tiger River 129 the mountains all forgot the recent ground- like men, and the Indians carrying burdens. tremble. And when the tale was done the “They found this gulf among the moun¬ Peruvian’s face again was alight with in¬ tains, which then was much easier to enter terest. than now, for into it led a narrow twisting “So that was the heavy blow we earth- canon. And they had no more than come rats felt this afternoon—the falling of the into it when they spied gold—a yellow trail along the cliff. We felt the temblor too, splash of it on the side of bare rock, plain down there in our hole—si, it sickened us!— to any eye. So'here they stayed. but what the blow meant we did not know. “Not long after they came, another band, Nor did I know, until this moment, of that much bigger, without women, also came shelf along the rock; we came in by another from the north as if hunting them. But the way.” heavy rains were now beginning, and the “Then there’s a way out?” waters rushing from every side not only “There is one—there may be others. We swept .away all trace of the Almagro trail shall see. But when the rains fall hard, but discouraged and drove away the pur¬ as they will soon, that way will be closed. suers. They never returned. We came in here, sefiores, through the ground! “The Almagro family made their Indians “Si, es verdad. It is true. My father work on the walls and on the gold. They Pachac knew that way, and told me of no were hard masters, and the Indians died other. We came as he directed. We left out. Then the white men went out into the the path at a watery ravine, going up in the jungle round about, and with their guns water and killing our trail. And after wad¬ they killed chiefs and made slaves of their ing far we followed Pachac, who went over people. These too they worked to death in the hills to more water, and so here. their mine—men and women and children, “If you looked about you today, you must all were driven like cattle until they died. have seen that this place is a gulf among “This went on for years, and much gold mountains. And if it had no outlet, when was taken out, but the family stayed on. the rains came they would fill it up, and it The older Almagros died, and the younger would be a lake. Yet it is dry and firm—■ ones also grew old and died; but the gold why? Because at one place near its middle still was there. Earthquakes came and there is a hole, and that hole runs away closed up the entrance canon and wrecked under the earth to the other side of a moun¬ the mine; but they opened up their gold- tain to the south, and through it all the rain- hole again and kept burrowing. Yet, the streams run out. It has not much water more gold they got, the slower the work now, and we came in along its bed without went and the weaker they grew. much trouble—though it was a long, black “Two things made this so: They could journey, and I had to club snakes to death not get enough Indians now, because the as I advanced.” Indians either moved too far away or were Thus the mystery of the vanishing trail too strong for them; and they would not of Pachac and his people was explained. mate with Indians and keep their family The Americans made no comment. Jose big. They mated among themselves, brother with sister, and most of the children “Now this is the tale of this place, and died young or were dull of brain. Some were of the family of Almagro, as my Padre killed by Indians, some by earthquakes, Pachac knows it: some by snakes or other jungle things. The “Long ago, before Pachac was born, and family grew very small—too small to be while his father’s father was a very young able to leave the place. They knew the warrior, there came from somewhere to the Jiveros would get them. north a band of hard-fighting men who “Then, from trying to enslave Indians by seemed all of the same family. They came force, they began buying prisoners from as if seeking a place where they would not those Indians. With the Jiveros they could be found by some one or something they do nothing, but with other Indians they had left behind them—not fleeing, but arranged trades. Whatever prisoners they always watching toward the rear. And they could buy they took, paying with gold, brought, besides themselves, their women which the Indians could trade out by cross¬ and slaves—white women and Indian ing the Curaray and then journeying down workers—the woman dressed and armed to the Napo. 130 Adventure

“Pachac, and his father before him, knew know that to be so. But Huarma, my wife, of this trade in prisoners, but had nothing saw that mujer de mat putting it into food to do with it. They were wanderers, lived after we men had been sent to the pen, so too far down the Tigre to piake the trade I know it was given us at times.” profitable, did not want white men’s goods, “How come ye to dodge it?” Tim won¬ and would rather kill their enemies than dered. sell them. But when Pachac’s half-Spanish “I did not dodge it, Senor Tim. The son grew up he had different ideas. He woman betrayed us all. We knew nothing wanted white men’s guns and cartridges, of her-brew, and when she received us and Pachac let him keep prisoners and send in friendly manner and gave us food and them here. So that, amigos, is what was drink we took it gladly—and awoke in the meant when we were told we should go to morning unable to think and covered by the wheel.” the guns of those slave-drivers—guns “What is the wheel?” queried Rand. taken from men who had won through “It is a thing made to crush ore, and a to this place before us and then been man-killer. In some ways it is like the made idiots. trapiche sugar-mill used in the Andes, which “But Huarma, chosen as one of the house- is worked by cattle going around and slaves, spied and learned what the thing was around. Here men are the cattle. Many a that had made us beasts. Then she told poor slave must have worn out his life on women sent to the plantation to find for her the infernal thing.” a certain herb—I do not know what—it is “What’s that big bell outside for?” one of the medicine secrets of her people. Knowlton asked. This she brought to me at night, with clean “What is was used for at first, or where food and drink, though she would have died it came from, I can’ not tell you. I know if the guards had caught her. Night after only the tale as it is told me by Pachac. night she came, and my mind grew keen, But now it has been used to call in the men and our father’s dullness too was partly from the mine. I suppose that if an Indian cleared away—she had not enough medicine attack should come it would be rung at any for us both, and she gave me the best of it. time, but since I have been here it has rung But she warned me to keep playing fool only at night, after a day without end—a until her chance should come to open our day of horrible toil. gate and let me lead an attack. Tonight “We were herded in a foul pen behind that chance came.” here, with stout gates which no man could “A reg’lar he-woman, I’ll say!” admired pass. The pen opens into a walled passage Tim. “But where’s all this gold ye tell leading into the mine. A rotten breakfast at about?” daybreak—a day of torture under the whips Jose arose, stretching his long arms wide, of those unfeeling Zaparo brutes we killed a triumphant grin lighting his face. tonight—another rotten meal after dark— “Come and see, comrades—partners! It a night sleeping on the filthy stones of our is put every noon into a vault—the pure pen—then back to more labor. That is the gold which has been melted into bars. The life here. guards alone handle it, but I know where “Men who have tried to escape were it goes—in at a door in the wall near the maimed so that they were not likely to mine entrance. There must be a huge room travel far again—the toes cut off. Some of there in the side of the mountain, piled with them now lie here in this room. One— the gold of four life-times. Come!” Rafael Gonzales—reached Iquitos, as you They came. Out into the moonlight, know. And you say another was killed by down a yard where the stones still glistened green men above? So some did try again— redly and bodies lay piled beside the wall, perhaps the floripondio was weak at times they followed him. On into a patio where and men grew cunning and desperate for shone a deep pool of water— evidently the a while. bathing-place of the Almagros—and through “But I think that accursed drug was put a ruined gate like that of a prison-yard; in the food at certain times to keep the men across a walled space whose fetid odor told always dull of brain. I think, too, that the that it was the slave-pen, they strode. There use of it was an idea of the woman Flora after hauling open another solid gate, they and not of her father—though I do not entered a long runway terminating in a Tiger River 131 black tunnel. At the tunnel-mouth their again despite the most persistent search. guide paused. But the survivors of the Tigre’s missing At his right showed a stout wooden door, men, who had been here long before the set in the wall and heavily barred. coming of Jose and his tribe, showed little “Hah!” he exulted. “Here lies the treas¬ response to the ministrations of the youth¬ ure of the Almagros! After all their crime ful medicine-woman. Their brains had been and cruelty it goes to a slave, and to his permeated for months, or years, by the ter¬ comrades who tomorrow might also have rible floripondio; and it was useless to expect been slaves. If you would use your gold, a speedy revival of their mental faculties. you Almagros, reach out now from the fuego True, they seemed a trifle less brutish, and del infierno where you roast, and snatch it in time they might regain full control of to buy a drop of water from your master themselves. But for the present they gave the devil! We come to take it from you. little indication that they would ever again Ho’, ho, ho!” be the men they had been. He tugged at a bar, which slid with an In view of the fact that most if not all ease telling of constant use. Eager hands of the white men among them had been forced the other bars away. The door dangerous criminals before ever they came swung open. up the Tigre, perhaps it was as well for the Holding aloft the lamps they had brought, others that their power to plan and execute the four stepped in and stared about. For violence now was more or less atrophied. a moment they stood speechless. They were kept at work, these witless “Carrambal” Jose spat then. “What de¬ creatures, both for their own good and for mon’s work is this?” the benefit of the community; but not at They saw a stone-walled, stone-roofed, their former tasks in the mine. First they stone-floored cell not more than twenty feet and the reviving warriors of Pachac were square. They saw nothing else. divided into squads which dug graves on The vault was empty. the hillside beyond the walls; and there Flora Almagro and the men of both sides CHAPTER XXVII who had fallen on that red night of revolt were buried deep. Then they were turned THE HEAD-HUNTERS to cleaning up the house and its yard, mak¬ ing the moldy old rooms again habitable ■p)AYS passed. and the former slave-pen fit to traverse. Days of work, they were; days of After that the Pachac men were set by then- striving to restore the drug-deadened minds chief at making new weapons, while the of the former slaves to their one-time vigor; others were drawn off to work with the days of search for the vanished treasure of women on the plantation—light labor which the Almagros, of exploration and critical- gave them the fresh air and clean sunlight examination of the mine. And each was of which they had been so long robbed in followed by an evening of discouraged dis¬ the gloomy mine-holes. cussion. For the present, the mine was deserted Far more success was achieved with minds by all except the restless five adventurers, than with mines. Under the skilful treatment who, after a thorough inspection, also left of Huarma the men of Pachac steadily shed it and returned to their first search—for the incubus of brain-blight, awaking each the Almagro wealth. Their examination morning with clearer eyes and quicker wits. showed that the mine was practically Pachac himself, whose curative treatment worked out. Some gold yet remained, but at the hands of his daughter had begun what was in sight made the inspectors shake while he still was a fellow-slave of Jose, now their heads; and the place was so honey¬ was wholly himself again, though gloomy combed with shafts and tunnels as to show in spirit because he had lost his most that the mountain not only was virtually cherished possession—the gruesome girdle looted of its treasure but absolutely unsafe woven from the hair of his slain enemies. to work in. An unusually sharp earth-shock At some time during his term of bondage it would probably cause it to crumple on it¬ had been cut off him by a brutal guard who self, crushing the mine into nothing. And, found that it served as a protection against in the past few days, several more slight whip-blows, and now it could not be found quakes already had occurred. 132 Adventure

Yet the pinching vein of yellow in the by stone, and that would use up a few years mine was all the gold they found. Hunt high, of time. Guess we’d do better to scout hunt low, not one bar out of the tons which around these hills and locate a new mine.” must have come from it could be discovered. “The pot of gold was at the end of the They ransacked house, yards, and even rainbow, but somebody’s moved the pot,” the mine itself for some trace. They nodded Rand. “Or maybe the rainbow’s pounded walls and floors, listening for hol¬ moved. Either way, it’s up to us to move low sounds. They swam about in the bath¬ also, unless something develops soon.” ing-pool, hunting under water. In only one He glanced around at the mountain-tops place did they find sign that gold had ever looming beyond the wall. Jose followed his lain. That was on the stone floor of the look. vault where, Jose swore, he had seen bars “I doubt, Senor Dave, if you will find gold taken in at noon. anywhere else in this valley,” he said. “Re¬ That floor bore out his assertion. Be¬ member, the Almagros were here many tween its stones were many grains of the years. If more gold were here they would metal, evidently chipped from the bars by have smelled it out long ago.” rough edges and comers of the rock. But “Sure. But there’s a whole cordillera where it had gone, and how, no man could along here for us to browse in. Say, do you tell, though all sorts of wild guesses were keep feeling as if those mountains were made. watching you—hostile—ready to jump on “By cripes, them dead ones done jest your back?” what ye dared ’em to, Hozy,” Tim said “Always,” the outlaw admitted. “Per¬ sourly one day. “They hopped up off o’ haps those Almagros felt it too, and built their gridirons and yanked the whole layout these walls more to make them feel safe down to their Winter quarters. Mebbe it’s than to shut out the barbaros.” melted by now and they’re swimmin’ ip it.” “Made ’em thick enough, anyways,” said Jose grinned, but with little enjoyment. Tim. “Ye could run a tunnel right through “I wish we had saved one of those slave- ’em from end to end, and nobody’d ever drivers as a prisoner that night,” he re¬ know ’twas there.” gretted. “He could be made to tell things, McKay stopped short. His eye ranged perhaps. But then there was neither time along one of the walls—the one in which the nor reason to think of anything but killing. door of that empty vault was set. And now—dead men tell no tales.” “By George!” he exclaimed. “Tim, I’ll They were standing at the tunnel-mouth bet you’ve hit it. Secret passage in the wall as they talked, the hot afternoon sun glaring from that vault to—some place under down on one side, the dark empty mine ground, maybe. We’ll rip a hole in this yawning at them on the other. Along the wall and find out. What say, Jos€?” walled passage leading from mine to pen “Por Dios! Capitan,'it may be— But no. no other figure moved. Somewhere up the We have tested the stones in that vault and yards Pachac and his men were lazily work¬ found no entrance. Of what use would be ing away at the manufacture of their new a tunnel ending in a solid wall?” weapons. Out on the plantation, well away “True. But there’s something, some¬ from the walls, the women and their male where, that we haven’t found. I want a assistants were toiling as they pleased. breach made in this wall, just to-” Within the house the chief’s daughters were “Hark!” Rand cut in. busy at various occupations. For several Across the gulf, thin and high, echoed a days even the distant menace of the Jivero scream. signal-drums had been stilled. All was It was the cry of a fear-stricken woman. peace. Yet, from force of habit, each of the It came from the direction of the plantation, partners was carrying his gun. it swelled from one isolated note of fright “Well,” said Knowlton, as they turned to the voices of other women breaking out toward the house, “it doesn’t get us any¬ in mortal terror. thing coming back and mooning around this “Demoniol” Jose cried sharply. “The vault like a bunch of kids who had lost their women of Pachac do not scream unless the baseball. The stuff’s gone somewhere, and devil himself is after them!” we’ve looked everywhere. The only thing He darted away toward the yards. The left is- to take this whole place apart stone other dashed after him. Tiger River 133

As they ran they heard the outcries com¬ the four gunmen stabbed flame and death ing nearer. Then the screams died down, downward. From the gate the roar of Jose’s the women needing all their breath for run¬ repeater broke out. From the disordered ning. But from the yards where Pachac ranks of the men of Pachac a ragged flight and his men lounged now rose a new up¬ of arrows whirred. roar—a harsh outbreak of surprize and rage. The sudden storm of lead and of five-foot Then, high over all, sounded another ap¬ shafts struck the nearest Jiveros to earth. palling note from the plantation. Warriors collapsed, pitched headlong, It was the awful death-yell of a man. kicked, rolled, were still. Others, discon¬ certed by the abrupt belch of death from H THROUGH the old slave-pen, walls which a moment ago had been empty, through the patio with its quiet pool, slowed to fit arrows to their bows. But be¬ and into the yard beside the house hind them a thick stream of other savages ran Jose and his comrades. That yard now came pouring across the bowl and up the was empty; for Pachac and his warriors had slope. The rush was checked only for an plunged through the big open gate, and their instant. yells of wrathful definance roared outside “Holy Saint Pat!” panted Tim between the walls. Jose tore on around the corner shots. “They’s a reg’lar army o’ the to join them, his swarthy face contracted hellions!” into a fighting-mask. But the Americans, The women reached the gate and reeled with McKay in the lead, lunged straight within, eyes glazed with terror and lungs at the wall. gasping for breath. The Americans clat¬ There rose a crude ladder lashed to the tered their breechbolts without raising fresh rough scaffolding which they had noticed cartridges. Their magazines were shot on their first arrival—one of several short out—and the extra ammunition was inside stair-flights by which defenders could man the house. the walls in haste. Up this swarmed the “Jose!” roared McKay. “Inside, quick! captain and the following three. Hardly Inside!” .had McKay jumped into position against Another defiant blast from the outlaw’s the* upper stones when his rifle began to gun drowned the command. An ululation crack. In rapid succession the other guns of rage from the men of Pachac followed. added their wicked voices in a chorus of Outnumbered though they were, they were death. seeing red and thirsting to close with their Streaming toward them, close at hand hereditary foes. now, they saw the panting women throwing “-!” gritted McKay. “It’ll be a mas¬ themselves up the hill toward safety. Close sacre! Hold ’em, men! Hold ’em with your behind, their light-skinned but paint- side-arms!” streaked faces grinning in mingled ferocity He dropped his rifle, leaped down into the and triumph, bounded warriors of the yard, sprinted for the gate. The three re¬ maining on the wall unholstered their forty- The dreaded drums at the west, which a five’s and opened again on the enemy. The few days ago had muttered back and forth, ripping roar of the big pistols, the impact had not been merely grumbling among of the heavy bullets among them, again themselves over the killing of an ambushed slowed the Jiveros in the van, but did not band by the men of Pachac back on the stop them—except those hit, who were Tigre. The ensuing silence had not meant stopped forever. The others, though they peace. Now the vengeful killers from the flinched and batted their eyes at each re¬ Pastassa were here to gain heads and women current crash, loosed a storm of arrows in and to destroy this stronghold which for retaliation. And they came on. generations had repulsed their fathers. The deadly shafts splintered against the And the big gate was open, nearly all the walls, hurtled overhead, hissed between the defenders outside, and their women prizes pistol-fighters. Too, they plunged into the almost within reach of their clutching hands. unbulwarked white Indians. Several of But the hands of those foremost pursuers Pachac’s men dropped, writhing. closed, not on the flying hair or bare shoul¬ Out on their rear now raced McKay with ders of their prey, but in death-clawings at pistol drawn. In three bounds he was be¬ the ground. From their elevated platform side Jose and Pachac. His gun and his 134 Adventure voice broke out together—the weapon whether a sudden flare of manhood prompt¬ hurling lead at the oncoming savages, the ed them to leap at the savages and attempt commands striking Jose like blows. to protect the retreat of the women, will “Inside!” Bang! “Jump—” Bang! never be known. But none of them lived “—you—” Bang! “-idiot!” Bang-bang1 to move far from the spot where he was “No brains!” Bang-bangt “Inside, jack- standing when the alarm broke out. Now Knowlton and Rand and Tim, Jose jumped. For once he had forgotten standing a few seconds longer at the wall that, as fight-commander of this gang, he after emptying their pistols, glanced around must govern them—he had reverted to the at a horde of rushing savages grimacing at lone fierce jungle-rover fighting against them in fury, howling a jungle hymn of odds, thinking only of killing as long as he hate, brandishing aloft the ghastly trophies could. McKay’s voice brought him to him¬ chopped from those missing men of the self. He lunged at his mein, cursing, shoving Tigre who would never go out again. The hitting, propelling them in through the wall. sight of those severed heads and of the The Indians themselves were sobered a vindictive triumph in the faces of the wild little by the fall of their kinsmen under the men exhibiting them both sickened and Jivero arrows. Under the crackling orders infuriated the whites. They threw their of Jose a 13d the weight of his fist and foot pistols into aim once more, then remembered they gave way, turned, and sprang for their uselessness. cover. But they took all their dead with “Got to git more shells!” rasped Tim. them, and their wounded too, though the “And then, ye-- butchers—then!” stricken men still living would not live long He stooped and seized McKay’s aban¬ with the poison of those arrows in their doned rifle preparatory to sliding down the veins. No Jivero should take a head from ladder.. As he did so an arrow impaled his them until the whole tribe of Pachac was hat and knocked it into the yard, the shaft down. hurtling on and slithering up and over the Last of all, McKay and Jose backed in, house-roof. Others whizzed around Rand dodging javelins thrown by Jiveros leaping and Knowlton, who ducked and dropped toward them. As the massive gate was to the yard below. A gloating yell swelled heaved shut the firing ended. The pistols from outside, the bowmen believing the of the three above were empty. quick disappearances due to hits. An instant later the Jiveros struck the The three sprinted for the door, Tim pass¬ gate and the walls. ing McKay’s gun to him on the run as they plunged inside. The captain clutched it CHAPTER XXVIII automatically, his whole mind busy with the urgent problem of bringing order out of THE MOUNTAINS SPEAK chaos, whipping the disordered rabble into an efficient fighting force. And a problem LATER on the survivors of this battle it was; for these men, little less wild than J were to learn that only a wandering the ravening Jiveros outside, knew only one woman, seeking herbs in the forest beyond style of fighting—the slipping, dodging com¬ the plantation, had prevented a complete bat of the thick bush, the jungle-animal surprize of the Almagro fortress and a method of grappling with a foe and dis¬ Wholesale massacre of its men. patching him—and now that they found She had spied the first of the Jiveros themselves cooped within white men’s walls slipping along through the jungle, creeping they hardly knew how to make use of toward the house. Screaming, she had fled themselves. with the speed of mortal fear, first to the Those few who had been trained in rifle plantation and then toward the protecting work by the dead Spanish-Indian son of walls, her sisters dashing after her. Thanks Pachac were useless now as gunmen, for, to their frenzied swiftness and the de¬ though the guns of the conquered slave- vastating gunfire, they all reached cover. driver were at hand, there were hardly any But the dull-brained men working with cartridges of that calibre—Jose himself had them on the plantation died. Whether they only a handful left for his own rifle. The failed to grasp their peril and stood blankly others, though equipped with their new gaping until the Jiveros were upon them, arrows and spears and clubs, had no poison Tiger River 135 with which to smear the points of the mis¬ Jiveros farther out. They crawled a yard siles and no chance to use the bludgeons. or two, then popped up and slammed a few All were in a fever to meet their foes bullets into the enemy before sinking and instanter, but none acted in cohesion with moving on a little farther. the rest. The renewed rip of the guns and the up- Some shot arrows or hurled spears upward and-down-and-over tactics of the gunmen at random, hoping to hit enemies outside had drawn the eyes of every white Indian. by pure luck. Others scrambled to the Now, with their example plain before all, fighting-runway overhead, stood still while McKay hammered home his plan of battle. they loosed at the Jiveros, and were swept “Jose!” he bellowed, his voice booming down to death by counter-flights of venomed through the ferine chorus from outside. shafts. A few even sought to reopen the “Divide forces! Man the walls! Make big gate and jump out with spear or club. your men keep moving! Like that!” The whole yard was a furore of blundering His rifle swept around, indicating the action. dodging three who were shooting down the Jose himself, though struggling furiously enemy while keeping themselves protected. to get hi6 men in hand, hardly knew what “Keep them moving!” he repeated. he wanted to do with them. He too was a “Otherwise they’ll be killed like those!” jungle fighter, not a soldier. And McKay, And he pointed to the corpses of Indians who saw that these raging warriors would who had stood still long enough to become never consent to herd themselves inside targets. the house and do their battling through This time Jose listened, saw, understood. narrow slits, could not impress on their hot At once he began driving- the idea into the minds the only other expedient—to carry head of Pachac. That veteran, after view¬ on a running skirmish along the walls. Nor ing again the way the three riflemen were could he get Jose, assailing his own men with working, put the plan into effect at once. fist and foot and lurid language, to listen The warriors, whom neither Jose nor Mc¬ to his roaring counsel. And Pachac, his Kay had been able to handle, caught the teeth gritting in impotent craving to bludg¬ idea quickly when their chief howled it at eon some Jivero with a huge club gripped them, and sprang with alacrity to the sides in his knotty fists, was neither abl6 nor will¬ pointed out. This moving, sliding method ing to understand the white man. of warfare was not, after all, much different The reappearance of his own comrades, from bush fighting, except that it was carried their pockets and shirt-fronts crammed with on along a narrow wall-path, above ground the reserve ammunition, was a godsend to and behind a stone barrier. From every the captain. Mechanically accepting a hat¬ angle it was the best mode of defense under ful of mingled rifle and pistol cartridges the conditions. shoved at him by Knowlton, he yelled: It not only gave the men on the wall the “Up on the walls! Merry, left wall— maximum protection coupled with ability Dave right—Tim front! Shoot, duct, run, to see their enemies and shoot straight, but shoot! Up and at ’em!” it kept them ranging all along instead of The three jumped for their respective holding only small sections. True, their walls. But each halted and threw up his bows were clumsy weapons to handle in such reloaded rifle. Atop the stonework hands narrow quarters, and the rear of the place and heads were appearing—heads of war¬ was virtually unprotected, due to lack of riors who had scaled up on the shoulders of men. But such strength as the defenders Others and now were heaving themselves in¬ had was now put where it could be used ward like old-time pirates clambering over with most deadly effect. the bulwarks of a fighting prize. Scrambling along the runway, rising to For a few seconds the yard roared with heave spears and dart arrows out and down, the rattle of gunfire. The heads flopped dropping and moving on, civilized and backward and were gone. The Americans savage allies carried on their jack-in-the- reloaded and again ran for their stations. box warfare. Few heads rose now on the By the time they had scaled their ladders other side, for most of the Jiveros had drawn more heads were rising across the stones. back to get a straighter aim at their quarry; Each swiftly shot his own sector clear, then and those who did attempt scaling were ducked to evade a hail of missiles hurled by quickly shot down by the ready guns. Some 136 Adventure of the assailants took cover around the big out and fight to the end, but the women— butts of near-by trees, but the main body Ho! Santa Maria! We have no women— scorned defense, moving about in the open we all are fighting men! Look!” and snapping spear or arrow at the appear¬ For the first time both noticed that those ing and disappearing heads within the walls. waiting women and children were armed, And into their mass poured a galling fire and that the faces which recently had been which carpeted the hillside with dead. distorted with terror now were set in despe¬ Yet McKay, though he now had mar¬ rate resolution. The ancient weapons of shaled his forces into the only feasible the Almagros, the useless guns of the dead formation, felt in his bones that this was a guards, the knives of the kitchen, all had losing fight. Rapidly he ran along all three been gathered up and were clutched in the walls, ascending ladders, glancing about, hands of the women and boys of the Pachac crashing a bullet or two into savages, then tribe. descending and dashing to another section; “That is the answer—death .now in the and he saw that, as Tim had said, there was open, not death like starving rats!” vowed a “reg’lar army o’ the hellions,” far out¬ Jose, his eyes snapping. “To the walls, all numbering his own weirdly assorted gar¬ of us! Let us-” rison irf both men and missiles. He staggered. So did McKay. The It could not be long before the.cartridges ground was quivering again. and arrows and javelins of his men would run out. Then only five machetes, a few KFOR a moment the fighting died. empty rifles, and a meager supply of clubs Defenders and assailants alike felt would remain with which to assail the that tremor, heard a muffled growl savages who would come crawling over the in the mountains looming around. Savage walls on all sides. To fight hand-to-hand in and civilized men felt an unnerving sinking the yard against an overpowering force at the stomach, a chill along his spine. And meant inevitable death. To withdraw into the women and children, though stoically the house meant slower death; for the venge¬ resolved to meet death fighting to the end ful Jiveros, if unable to batter a way in, against their encompassing human foes, would camp outside and besiege them until cried out and sprang from the doorway as starvation claimed all immured inside. the floor crept beneath their feet. Jose too saw this. He, like McKay, was The ground became quiet and the growl¬ running from place to place, keeping his men ing died. For a few seconds the tense silence moving up and down, preventing a bunching held. Then a rifle-shot cracked, and Tim’s of forces at any one spot, scaling the ladders gruff voice exulted: now and then to look out and spit bullets “Yah! Ye dirty butcher, how d’ye like and curses at the beleaguering head¬ that one?” hunters. The two met before the big house- A new yell of fury outside answered. door, within which the women and children Again arrows thudded against the house- were packed,'watching. roof. A howl of defiance broke from the “Pot Dios, capitan!” grinned the outlaw. men of Pachac. The hopeless battle was on “For once I think Jose is caught in a trap again. which he can not break free from! But the “That settles it!” granted McKay. “If Jivero who cuts my throat shall cross a heap we get a bad shock the house may go. Get of his comrades to get me.” them out in the open!” “Looks bad,” admitted McKay, mopping They were all outside already, and they his dripping face. As he spoke two of the stayed out. McKay and Jose parted. The white Indians toppled from the runway, captain loped to a section at the left front quivered on the stones, and lay still. “Too where several of the white Indians had been many for us. We’ll have to get inside before shot down, and where the other defenders long.” were out of arrows. He clambered up just “Si. Our arrows fail, and— Hah! Down in time to blow away two fierce faces which you fiend!” topped the wall. To his dismay, he found His rifle jumped and a head rising beyond no Jiveros now in sight. They had rushed the right front wall was gone. in and now were close to the stones, working “—and we go in and starve,” he went on, upward in force. He grimly held his fire, pumping his lever. “I would rather stay awaiting the rising of the next heads. Tiger River 137

Jose, working along the left wall, found ing steel. All along the top of the wall the the same condition. Knowlton, whose hot last furious death-grapple was in full swing. gun was the only firearm on that section, “Hah!” shrilled the voice of Jose. “A still was doggedly firing as his chance came; fight of fights! Kill! Men of Pachac— but the Indians on his runway now were women of Pachac—kill! Fight to the last! looking desperately around for clubs, loose Kill!” stones, anything with which to continue Suddenly a flare of orange flame shot high their fight. Their bows were becoming use¬ in the northwestern sky. A roaring inferno less, both because they had nothing more of noise burst among the mountains. The to shoot and little to shoot at—for here too ground heaved like a rolling sea. the Jiveros had closed in. Even as Jose A grinding, cracking crash of collapsing looked along the weakening line be saw stones and timbers echoed from the house of Knowlton hand his rifle to the nearest In¬ Almagros. A deep stroke boomed from the dian for use as a club, draw his pistol, and big bell in the yard, terminating in a thump¬ loosen his machete. He clamped his jaws ing jangle as it fell. and jammed his four remaining cartridges The walls, with their battling antagonists into his own gun. Close work was at hand. still heaving and clubbing and grappling, Tim and Rand, with their Indian fighting pitched outward in a harsh rumble of sliding mates, were in similar straits. Tim had stone. A long scream rang across the gulf. already shot his rifle out and now was work¬ Then fell an awful silence. ing along with his pistol, drilling the up- shooting heads. Rand was even worse off— CHAPTER XXIX his automatic had jammed, and pounding on the wall failed to loosen its action. And OUT OF THE WAUL here, as on the other sides, the head- shrinkers now were climbing in ever-in¬ AIN hissed down. creasing numbers. Cold, heavy, thick and fast it deluged Yet no man of the garrison left his wall. a jumble of stones and timbers which had No man even thought of it. McKay, with been a house; sluiced along between lines his rifle, and Tim and Knowlton with their of other stones which had been walls; washed hand-guns, were shooting faster and faster. red stains from contorted men sprawling Jose sprang on the top of the stones and motionless on the sides of a knoll; beat back chopped with red machete. Indians who the senses of other men who groaned, stirred, had clubs followed his example, crushing sat up, stared dizzily around. Then it slid skulls with hoarse grunts of satisfaction. In¬ away down the hillsides, collected in new¬ dians who had none yelled to the women born streams, snaked along depressions, below to pass up their weapons. and, at the bottom of the gulf, crept upward Instead of complying, the women them¬ again in a shallow but steadily rising pool. selves climbed the ladders and, with knife In the memories of the first men to regain and ax and ancient muzzle-loader, attacked consciousness echoed receding yells of fear the slayers crawling up and over at them. and the slap of bare feet fleeing into the Huarma and her sisters, the daughters jungle. Now from the wrecked walls a of Pachac, rose beside Jose and, screaming new sound crept into the swish and splash hate into the ears of the encroaching Jiveros, of the rain—moans of crushed and mangled swung the clubbed guns of the late guards fighters not yet dead but dying. Into the down on head after head. The other women horrid chorus broke other noises—cries of of Pachac, with whatever weapons they had men, women, children, revived by the wet gleaned from the house, hacked and clubbed chill and staggering up from the ground to and stabbed. The men of Pachac grappled learn the fate of those whom they held bare-handed with antagonists who snaked most dear. themselves up to a footing. Through the blurring sheets of falling From somewhere roared the voice of water lurched indistinct figures holding Pachac himself, howling in ferocious joy arms before their faces to fend the drowning as he smashed the skulls of his enemies. deluge from mouths and nostrils, peering And the Americans, though some cartridges about for relatives or friends, calling with still were left, sheathed their pistols and voices growing sharper as those whom they joined the hand-to-hand conflict with slash¬ sought remained silent. Then over all 138 Adventure bellowed a fog-horn voice erupting from a and done a dog-eat-dog stunt, hey? Oh, tattered figure in dripping khaki, from loo-oo-ooey! Da-a-ave! Hoz—” whose red beard drizzled a stream of rain “Here!” came Knowlton’s voice. turned pink by a bleeding nose. Around a corner of the leveled walls a “Cap! Looey! Davy! Hozy! Where vague shape came stumbling as if hurt. In are ye?” a few more steps it became the lieutenant, For a time none of the voices for which shielding his face with one arm. The other he listened made any response. Other voices hung at his side. in plenty arose; some in joy of reunion, “Good!” he exclaimed. “You two are some in repeated shouts of certain names, still on your legs. Where’s Dave?” some in dull groans of pain. Other forms “Dunno yet. What ails ye? Bust some¬ came blundering into his path, but all were thin’?”^ those of Indians who peered at him and “Shoulder’s out of joint. Wrenched this then stepped away on their own quests. leg somehow, too, but it’s whole. Hand¬ Again and again he roared through the un¬ some nose you’ve got, Tim.” ceasing tumult of the downpour. Then he “Yeah? She feels like a dill pickle. Seen jumped ahead, drawing his machete. Hozy? Any Jiveros round that side?” A tumbling thing on the ground a little “Jose’s all right. He’s hunting around farther on became two things. One of them now for Pachac. No Jiveros, except dead pitched to its feet and glowered down from ones. Must be a frightful mess under the its six-foot height at a naked huddle of flesh wall—they were packed three deep when the which twitched a few times and became rocks went over them.” quiet. As Tim pounded up it turned sharp¬ “So much the better for us,” was Mc¬ ly, and the bloody-nosed veteran looked Kay’s comment. “You sit down under this into the swollen face and blazing eyes of tree and let us snap that shoulder back. McKay. Under him lay a powerful Jivero Then wait while we find Dave. He was on with head twisted aside. the other wall. Got any cartridges?” “Huh! Don’t ye know this here war’s “Nope. Shot out.” gone bust, cap?” demanded the red man, McKay dived a hand at the lieutenant’s slapping his commander joyously on one holster, drew out the empty pistol, replaced shoulder. “Enemy’s beat it for the woods, it with his own. The three moved to the screechin’ their heads off—them that ain’t shelter of the big tree near by, where Tim jellied under them stones. What ye got braced his feet and held the blond man tight. to pick on this feller for?—bad cess to him!” McKay, with an outward pull, drew the dis¬ McKay essayed a grin, tried to answer, located shoulder back into place. Knowl- made a wheezing sound, and rubbed his ton went white and leaned against the trunk. throat, in which showed the prints of big “You won’t need a gun, probably,” added Jivero fingers. the captain, “but you’d better have one on. “Awright, never mind apologizin’. Ye That one’s loaded. Stick here until we sure busted this guy’s neck right. Come on, come back.” le’s git the rest o’ the gang.” He and Tim turned and squelched away Together they forged on along the tum¬ through the streaming grass in search of bled mass of stone, squinting sharply at Rand. Now that all others of their five- every prostrate form they found, the cap¬ cornered partnership were accounted for, tain turning his aching neck at times from they gave no attention to the shifting side to side. figures or the medley of noises around them, “I figger they got slung out, same as I except to watch for any belated Jivero creep¬ did,” Tim roared conversationally. “I got ing out of the debris and seeking escape. throwed clear and lit on my nose and went They saw none such, for every head-hunter to sleep awhile. Dang near busted me neck, able to get away had gone long ago, shocked I guess—she feels sort o’ crackly now. How witless by the cataclysm. come ye to keep that Jivero o’ yourn? Fall After passing the next comer, however, on him?” they slowed and began careful inspection “Yes. Got thrown end over end. Struck along the line marking the right wall, where on my stomach—also on his head. Knocked Rand had last been seen. Here the ruins us both out.” seemed to have fallen both ways, as if the “Uh-huh. And then ye both come to convulsed earth had twisted like a wounded Tiger River [39 snake, heaving some parts of the roughly to slip and drop at any moment. He indi¬ cemented barrier outward while others top¬ cated a couple which must be held or braced. pled in toward the house. As they advanced The Indians remaining—two had carried the rain began to decrease and the wreckage away their injured comrade—stepped to became more plain. the menacing blocks and strained back Along it was proceeding work of mingled against them. McKay and Tim stooped, succor and slaughter. Men of Pachac, braced themselves, and, with a slow, careful armed with spears and clubs picked up pull, drew the Jivero up and away from his from the sodden ground, were using them death-trap. Pitching him outward, they as levers to pry loose members of their own reached again and grasped the boots, now tribe or as weapons to exterminate Jiveros both exposed. With another steady draw trapped among the stones. No quarter was they lifted Rand. given or asked. Head-hunters died with He was lying aslant, head much lower fierce defiance on their faces, savage to the than his feet, curved in a strained position last. The Americans saw, scowled, but said in a crooked cavern of jagged stones. If he nothing. It was the primal law of the jun¬ had been conscious when that foot moved gle—kill or be killed. he now had lost his senses again. His face, appearing from a dim crevice as he was frj^i SOME distance down the wet stones raised by the legs, was dark and bloated they paused. There a little knot of from suffocation. Under him the rescuers white Indians, themselves smeared glimpsed a welter of smashed things that red from hurts received in the collapse, were had been men. working carefully to extricate a half-crushed They drew him up and bore him away man of their race. One of them, spying the down the slippery rocks. The Indians American pair, pointed downward and loosed their holds on the stones and skipped grunted rapidly. aside. The blocks slid, grated, and fell with Though the words meant little to the a sullen crunch into the place where Rand listeners, they saw in the Indian face some¬ had lain. thing which brought them up on the rocks. Out on good ground they laid him down There the aborigine pointed to McKay’s and tore off his shirt, which hung in ripped boots, then down under the trapped man. rags. McKay felt for the heart. It was “Cripes! Must be Dave!” guessed Tim. beating. “Pair o’ boots in there, under this hurt “Glory be!” rejoiced Tim, interpreting guy!” the slight relaxation of his captain’s face. Their eyes met. Then each looked quick¬ “Begorry, he ain’t hardly scratched, neither! ly away. If Rand was caught under those Head’s all right—legs look straight—arms all sound— How’s the ribs? Caved? Nope. Restraining their impulse to jump in and Say, them dead guys jest sort o’ cushioned help—for more men would only hinder the him. Squeezed him black in the face, but work—they stood tensely waiting while the that’s all. Gee, talk about luck!” hole was enlarged and the Indian drawn out, And a few minutes later, sitting groggily his face gray with suffering but his jaws up and blinking at the figures which seemed clamped tight. Then they got a look into whirling around him Rand proved Tim’s the ruin. words true. His frame was whole, though “Poor Davey!” McKay muttered. wrenched and strained. His constricted They saw a dead Jivero. From below lungs were functioning normally again, the him, between his right arm and his side, congestion of blood had left his head, and projected a booted leg. the few cuts and bruises he had received For a moment they stood motionless, were of no consequence. Yet, but for the dreading the sight of the mangled form fact that a living man of Pachac happened which must lie beneath that of the enemy. to be caught above him and attract the Then they started. The leg had moved! attention of other Indians, he would have It strained weakly as if trying to draw been squeezed to death down in the chaotic itself back. The foot quivered, jerked from rubble long before he could have been found. side to side, grew still. He owed his life to pure luck. McKay scanned the rocks rimming the “ ’Lo, Rod,” he mumbled. “Where’s— opening. They were loosely balanced, likely Merry? What happened?" 140 Adventure

“Merry’s holding up a tree and waiting. the drying ground moved only the forms of Nothing much happened. Volcanic ex¬ the Indian garrison and their women. They plosion somewhere up north—earthquake— were alternately giving attention to their everything tumbled down, including us. less fortunate fellows and scanning the Jiveros are mostly buried. Now we’re all jungle. taking a shower-bath. That’s all. Feel “If those Jiveros come back now—” mut¬ like walking now?” tered Rand. Rand dizzily shook his head. But after “Huh! Come back from where, feller?” a minute the surroundings stopped whizzing demanded Tim. “Under them there rocks? around him, and he began struggling up. That’s where dang near all of ’em are. Them His mates promptly aided him to his feet. that got clear are runnin’ yet, and ye Arm in arm, the three passed back down the line to rejoin Knowlton. And as they A sudden yell cut him short. It came went, the rain ceased. from the rear end of the mass which had In the clearing air they saw Knowlton’s been the house. Up there the startled four blond head bobbing along beyond the rock- saw the missing Jose. He had been clamber¬ jumble which had been the front wall, and ing around to get a comprehensive view of before they reached the corner he came the devastation. Now he was prancing and limping around it, his face beaming at sight waving his arms as if demented. of die Rescued man. He halted and waited, “Senoresl” came his shout. “Come here! gave Rand a slap on the back as they passed, El orol” and fell in behind. Reunited once more, “What! The gold?” burst in one amazed the four went on to find Jose. chorus from the battered soldiers of fortune. As they passed on, their minds now at “Si! We have it at last! Valgame Dios, ease regarding one another, they saw in it is a treasure like that of the Incas! It is— stark detail the work of the sudden spasm See! With your own eyes come and look! of nature. The house and the walls were Santa Maria! What a yellow gleam!” stone-heaps. From them now sounded no Still throwing his arms about, he disap¬ more of the half-conscious moans; for the peared down the rubble of stone and timber. injured men of Pachac had died in their Afire with excitement, the Americans leaped traps or were being taken out, while all the away along the line, even Knowlton forget¬ Jiveros caught alive had been despatched. ting his painful leg. Climbing over the Here and there protruded a hand or a foot ruins of the wall between, they joined Jose of some warrior who never again would and stood petrified at what they saw. fight. At intervals lay broken white Indians From the space where the rear wall had attended by little groups of their own peo¬ stood now slanted a pile of yellow bars. ple. And at one spot was a number of That wall, buckling outward, had spewed bodies lying side by side on the soaked earth. out with its stones what had been piled just Among them were a few women—the fight¬ behind those stones. There in one gleaming ing women who had gone to death like men. heap lay tons of the precious mineral. How In the hillside itself gaped narrow fissures. many more tons were concealed within the Beyond, the faces of the mountains altered. ruin no man dared guess. Bare slides grinned out where had been un¬ “See, it is as you said, Tim and capitanl broken green. In the precipice along which Behold that wall—it ran from the vault to the four had toiled not many days ago the end of the house. It was hollow—it gaped new crevasses. Many other changes, had not so much stone as the other wall. of which the Americans never learned, had There was a passage in it—some way of been wrought around them. swinging blocks aside in the vault—another One, of which they were not to remain entrance here at the house. The house had long in ignorance, waS that the mine of the a double rear wall with much space between Almagros was no more. Another was that the two—I have thought before now that the underground passage through which somehow the house seemed longer outside Jose and his people had entered this place than inside, but I never thought to measure. now was blocked forever. And the gold was piled to the roof! Por As they rounded the corner beyond which Dios! There may be an underground space Jose had last been seen they found no sign too—there may be ” of him. In the thin mist now rising from His voice cracked. Dazedly the others Tiger River 141

followed his gestures as he talked and danced lined along the bank: Four Americans, one about. They saw that he had hit the truth. hawk-faced Spaniard, and some forty In¬ Their eyes came back and clungwto the dians whose skins were only a shade darker golden glory rising from their feet to the than those revealed by rips in the clothing wrecked treasure-room of the Almagros. of the khaki-clad white men. Near the lean Then they sank down on the nearest stones South American loitered a number of lithe and dumbly fumbled in their soggy clothing young women whose dark eyes turned to for something with which to make cigarets. him at his every word or movement. Farther So, at last, fickle Fate had thrown at the back were a sprinkling of other women and fighting five the golden lure which she had children. dangled so long before their eyes. And the These were the survivors of the no-quarter grim mountains of the Pastassa spurs, which battle with the Jiveros and the earth-con¬ had held the merciless Almagros in their vulsion which had crushed that fight into unyielding grip until no Almagro was left, nothingness at its desperate height; the five now had smashed all their handiwork into partners and the death-thinned people of chaos. A little while, and the gulf where Pachac. Among them Pachac himself no they had lived and died would be a noisome longer stood. pe^t-hole. And the booty wrung from the Caught and killed in the collapse of the bowels of the stone by four generations of wall he was holding, he had passed out as torture and treachery would go out on the he would have wished—in the flaming fury backs of men who fought hard—but fought of hand-to-hand battle with his foes. Now clean. the commander of the tribe was the man CHAPTER XXX whom he had taken as foster-son—Jose Martinez, outlaw, killer, and son of the THE KING OF NO MAN’S LAND Conquistadores. For days after the wrecking of the house THE banks of the Tigre Yacu were full. of Almagro every able-bodied man, woman, Between the shores where, a few weeks and child had toiled feverishly at the great ago, clear water had crept languidly along gold-pile, the white men driven by their at the bottom of a rock-strewn natural own treasure-hunger and the Indians by the ditch, now rolled a turbid flood; and from crackling voice of their Spanish chief. From both sides sounded the splash and gurgle of dawn to dark, with hardly a pause to snatch smaller streams hurrying in with the burden food from the plantation, they had trans¬ of water dumped on the hillsides by the ported the yellow bars in a steady stream latest rain. Now the sun had broken out to a spot well up the nearest mountain, again, and from every dripping leaf sparkled where the air was fresh and clean. Fortu¬ gems of moisture. nately, the sky had remained overcast much In a little cove, where the downward¬ of the time, and, as often happens in the sweeping waters slowed and swung about Andes region after an earthquake, the air in a wheeling eddy, a grotesque object had been decidedly cold. floated and tugged at its moorings of stout Thus favored, the toilers had been able bush-rope; a nondescript creation such as to labor long in the midst of the ruins before the mysterious Tigre, which before now had the sun turned hot and the air became washed many a weird thing southward in pestilential. By the time they were com¬ its eternal journey from the cordillera to pelled to flee, the place had been quite the Maranon, never had upheld on its rest¬ thoroughly looted. less bosom. Even had it been possible and desirable Two stout canoes, covered over, formed to extract and bury or burn the dead and its nucleus; reenforced with logs, they up¬ reconstruct the demolished house, the grim held a platform with built-up sides and decree of the mountains forbade it. Not curving roof. A combination of balsa, pon¬ only had they plugged the natural drain of toon, raft and box, it was, and as ugly a the gulf in their spasm, but at every fresh vessel as ever traveled jungle waters. Yet, rainfall they sluiced more water into the for all its homeliness, it was a treasure-ship. pool which had formed and was stealthily The box-like platform held a fortune in pure creeping farther and higher along the bot¬ gold. tom and sides of the misshapen bowl. Now the men who had created it stood Henceforth no man should live in-the chasm 142 Adventure where so much of human maltreatment and .44 cartridges which the Americans previ¬ misery had resulted from their first admit¬ ously had left with the updrawn canoes. tance of men. “No, senores, I will not have my share of When the deluges of the forthcoming wet the treasure carried farther now,” he had season should end, the sinister knoll and its said when making his cache. “Of what good stones and bones would be sunk under a is it to me? Now that I have it, I can think stagnant lagoon wherein only reptilian crea¬ of only one use for it; and the time to use it tures could spawn; and the Almagros, after so has not yet come. You are eager to go all their ruthlessness and strife, should lie out, while I—where should I go? Let us forgotten forever in a bed of slime. So the move on with your gold. Mine will keep stern giants towering around had deter¬ here.” mined, and so it should be. The Americans, though asking no ques¬ But none of those who toiled to salvage tions, had guessed at what he intended the treasure-trove had any desire to remain. eventually to do with his prize—and had As soon as their prize was safe they sought guessed wrong. Now, standing beside their a way out, eager to be gone for all time laden craft, they thought of it again. Mc¬ from that hole. And, thanks to the jungle Kay bluntly spoke out: craft of the nomads of Pachac, they found “Where do you expect to hang out after at length an exit whereby they could reach you leave here, Jose? We’d like to keep in again the vague path by which they had touch with you. Going back over the Andes journeyed up the Tigre. Thanks also to to gild the palms of the authorities and en¬ the Indians, they lived off the forest and joy life? Or down the Amazon? Or over the bush while the gold was brought out and to Europe?” packed down the trail and while the clumsy A slow smile passed over the outlaw’s river-craft was built and loaded. face and died. He answered with the cool Nowhere had they met Jiveros. But a dignity of a caballero. few days after the earthquake they had “Once, capitan, a misbegotten creature heard the drums off to the west begin to arose between us—a burro with a bull head. grumble again, and guessed that the sur¬ It came up because you had a thought like vivors of the savage expedition had returned the one you have now. But it shall not lift to their own land with their tale of doom. its head again. 1 Nor had they seen again any sign of the “You think the natural thing, capitan, gaunt green-dyed servitors of Flora Almagro but you have it wrong. I, Jose Martinez, who had speared the escaping toeless man return across the Andes and buy the favor and forced the Americans adventurers over of officials? Bah! Who throws meat to the edge of the abyss. What had become yelping dogs which are too far off to bite of them only the inscrutable jungle could him? Not I. Still less do I journey to tell; and, as always, the jungle remained those dogs and drop the meat in their greedy

Now the time for parting was at hand. “And down the Amazon, or across the And for a time no word was said. Wist¬ sea, should I be content? No. I have been fully, yet proudly, Jose stood among his too long a wild rover of the jungle. In the people and looked at his four comrades who jungle I stay.” Were leaving him. Like his men, he wore His eyes went to the girls near him, and on his body the loin-mat of the white In¬ again his lips widened—this time in the dians; but, unlike them, he retained around sardonic grin of Jose the bushman. his shaggy head a faded red kerchief, and “And if I would desert my brides, in one hand he held his battered old rifle— amigos—for they never could come with me his crown and his scepter as king of the into the cities, and I must abandon them little tribe. Down one bare leg, too, dangled if I go—if I thought of forsaking my little his machete. tigresses of the Tigre Yacu, there is another None of his hard-won gold was on the reason why I should stand by them.” bank. In fact, it was miles away, secreted The four looked into his twinkling eyes, in a cave which he had discovered just out¬ then at his girl wives. side the mountains ringing the gulf. His “What! Already?” blurted Knowlton. only visible possessions now were his gun, “Why not, senor?” laughed the other. his bush-knife, and the partly filled tin of “Did I not once say to you that if we Tiger River 143

Spaniards would pause at times between No, I have no respect for those accursed our fighting and our gold-hunting we could ones! They are beasts. people the world with fighting men? And “Now, as you say, I have gold. Now that every man should prove his words by deeds, I have gold, it means little to me—the gold is it not true? Unless Huarma and her itself. It was a bait, a lure, a thing that sisters and I are much mistaken, soon there kept me striving on in spite of death and will be five little Joses asking me for little the devil. And that struggle to get it, guns to play with.” senores, the fighting and adventure and hope “Gee gosh!” muttered Tim. and despair—that was the real prize—that “Quite so, Sefior Tim. And that is not was living! And far above all those things, all. The four sisters of my wives have de¬ amigos, I treasure the memories of the days cided that they also should become brides and nights I have spent with my North of their chief. And who am I that I should American comrades—men I could trust, deny them? So all the nine daughters of men I could like, men in whose company I Pachac become the wives of the son of could sleep without awaking to find a knife Pachac.” near my throat. McKay threw up his hands. “But that time is past, and you go. Now “Co/ne on, fellows,” he said. “He’s rav¬ I look to what is ahead of Jose—and of the ing. Let’s go.” people of Jose. I have looked on the moun¬ “One moment, capitan,” laughed the tains to the north and found them good. white chief. “Help me with a problem. Not that hole of the Almagros, but the great With sons each year for twenty years, how wild cordillera which no man owns—where many shall I have?” the shrinkers of heads travel, where more The captain shook his head and glanced gold lies waiting, where the law of the yel¬ at the boat. Rand answered. low-dog men of the western cities does not “Barring twins, one hundred and eighty.” reach. I will make those mountains mine!” The old flush of enthusiasm was rising “OOF!” grunted Tim. “Cap, ye’re in his cheeks, the old ring creeping into his jlBfc right. Hozy’s crazy as a bedbug. Hozy, jest wait till the first nine all “Sit Mine! I will not be a petty chief git to squallin’ together, and ye’ll never of a vagabond tribe—I will be a king of the wait for the other hundred and seventy- wild lands! A barbarian king, perhaps, as odd. Ye’ll come a-runnin- and jump in¬ you said not long ago—but a ruler of hard to this here river, squeakin’: ‘Here goes fighting men, a maker of war on the demons nothin’!’ ” who shrink the heads of men and make “You do not know me, comrade,” beasts of women. Sit I, Jose! chuckled Jose. “If they vex me I shall go “Behold these people of Pachac. They out and kill a few Jiveros. That is one have no tribe name that I can recognize. reason why I stay—to kill Jiveros.” They call themselves only The White Ones. “A laudable ambition,” conceded Knowl- No, not Yameos. The White Ones. And ton. “But where does your gold fit into in other parts of this thick country the your plans? None of my business, maybe, spurs, and north toward the Curaray, are but-” _ more of The White Ones. So these tell me. “But why is it not your business, friend? They tell me, too, that they can lead me to I will tell you what is in my mind.” some of those other White Ones, and from He looked along the silent line of his them we shall learn of still more. All are adopted people, and his face sobered. bitter haters of the Jiveros. “There was a time, before I had fought “Now for my gold. Already that young against those Jiveros, when I had for them half-Spanish son of Pachac had trained a some respect. I said to you that if my head few of these men to use rifles. I shall carry must be taken by any man I would wish on what he began. With my gold I trade it to go to those fighting wild men. But for more guns—and I get the best! I buy since I have fought them, since I saw the many cartridges. I bring together the other headless bodies of those poor fellow-slaves White Ones. And there in the mountains of mine who were cut to pieces on the we make a stronghold that shall make that plantation, since I have heard the true tales one of the Almagros seem a house of clay. told of them by Pachac and his people— We drive the Jiveros howling west to the 144 Adventure

Morona—to the Santiago! Por Dios, we machete to sever the bushropes mooring the sweep them back against the Great Cordil¬ straining craft. lera itself!” “Adios, camaradasl” he called. The four stood fascinated as the magni¬ “Rasta luego,” countered McKay. tude of his ambition fired them. Then “What! You will come back some day?” Rand spoke— “Never can tell. We might get bored “And then, the first thing you know, and come looking for some excitement.” you’ll be at war with two governments.” “Hah! Come to me in the mountains and “Si? The government of Peru, which I will feed you excitement until you choke! has cast me out? The government of Until then— VayaconDiosl Go with God!” Ecuador, which can not rule what it claims? The blade chopped down. The craft They can not even agree on their own swung outward and checked. Again the boundaries, as you senores must know. steel fell, shearing another rope, and the boat Ecuador calls this its Provincia del Oriente, floated free. but what does it mean? Nothing. And to Amid a final chorus of yells it gathered me the paper laws and decrees of both of headway and surged down-stream, its crew them are nothing. This is No Man’s Land, swinging at the long rudder. Then it settled and I will Be its king!” itself for its long voyage to the mighty “Begorry, it’s jest like I said!” exulted Maranon. Hands shot up in the last gesture Tim. “Didn’t I tell ye so, Dave, down by of farewell. Around a slight bend it drifted, that red-hot lake? The King 0? No Man’s and the jungle of the Tigre Yacu blotted Land, jest like I seen it cornin’! And I’ll it from sight. tell the world ye’ll make one rip-roarin’ For a time the red-crowned man at the king too, ye ol’ scalawag. Dang it, I wisht water’s edge stood motionless, his face I could stick round awhile. If I only had somber, his dark eyes dwelling wistfully a new outfit— But shucks, I got to git me on the spot where his partners had vanished. ,money home. So long, ol’-timer, and more Then, with a sigh, he stooped and lifted the power to ye!” case of cartridges to his shoulder. He reached a red-haired fist and gave the Up-stream he turned, warily scanning the chief of the White Ones a mighty grip. In bush. Up-stream the armed warriors and turn the others followed his example. Then the rest of the little tribe silently followed they clambered aboard their treasure-ship, him. And into the green shadows the com¬ set themselves at the powerful steering-oar ing King of No Man’s Land and the nucleus they had built, and nodded to Jose. of his army of The White Ones passed and Slowly, regretfully, the outlaw lifted his were gone.

THE END